CRA — May 14, 2026 — Tampa Meetings

Naya Young

9:05:28AM Good morning, good morning.

9:05:33AM Thank you. I like the participation. This Community Redevelopment Agency meeting is now called to order. [ sounding gavel ] roll call, please. I'm sorry. Board member Maniscalco, would you please do the invocation?

Guido Maniscalco

9:05:49AM Thank you very much. Back by popular demand, we are honored today with the presence of Mr. Ron Weaver. Ron is no stranger to this community. He is a friend to many. A little bit about him. He is a harvard law graduate with honors. He cofounded 155 lawyers statewide, Stearns Weaver Law Firm, which we are very familiar with. He's chaired half a dozen local chamber committees and Chaired St. Joseph's Hospital Finance Committee and Bay Care Finance Committee. Also a 2020 wedu and junior league luminary. Please stand and let us welcome Mr. Ron Weaver for the invocation. New chairman Young, congratulations. Let us pray. Most gracious heavenly father, may your graciousness rain like a mighty flood. The national drought of needs for checks and balances and guardrails for more free speech, and we pray for the rains to take care of the need for equaled and non-vindictive justice, for free elections and fair districts. We pray for mobility and mobility in proximity to affordable housing that no one go unsheltered. We pray in Washington for attention to those 10 million people. Father God, their health care. We pray in this community that you provide us with affordable housing, that you help to us weatherize the old and humbly build the new in order to provide that no one go unsheltered in this community and that no one be stranded from work and home and meds and doctors. That we provide no one left behind, no one stranded in transportation and no one left behind unsheltered in our community. May we offer our teens something other than needing to take over the streets. Let them take over the libraries and let them take over new rec centers. Let them take over new mentor opportunities that we provide them self-esteem to provide the teens of our community a sense of purpose and a sense of opportunity and a sense of self-esteem. We pray that we also, Father God, this morning will enable the press to be able to speak without being silenced when they do their democratic duty. We pray especially that you give for those with three jobs, three doses of your attention from this council and from each of us. For the hardworking folks who need the most with respect to that mobility and that affordable housing. We pray, o Father God, this morning especially for each one in this room but especially for the President of the United States with whom we may not agree on many, if not many issues but we pray this morning in China help achieve peace and reasonable trade and reasonable resolution of the international conflicts that face us today. We pray for our nation. We pray for our president this morning. We pray for Washington and tallahassee to provide not only fair elections and fair districts, but also for those 10 million that are losing their health care. Father God that somehow you might find a way to help Tampa to Be That Place that attends also to those most needful first, the poorest be heard first. As you provided us in your book that the first -- the last shall become first. And that the meek shall inherit the earth. Thank you, father, for Tampa. Thank you for this visionary great City Council. Thank you for the love of this community and doing something about it every day. Amen. [Pledge of allegiance]

Naya Young

9:09:43AM Thank you, board member Maniscalco. Roll call.

Charlie Miranda

9:09:48AM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

9:09:48AM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

9:09:49AM Here.

Alan Clendenin

9:09:51AM Here. Viera?

Luis Viera

9:09:54AM Here.

Naya Young

9:09:55AM Here.

The Clerk

9:09:56AM We have a physical quorum.

Naya Young

9:09:57AM Thank you. Director Mccray.

Lynn Hurtak

9:10:00AM I make a motion to adopt the minutes from April 9, 2026 and April 14, 2026 special call workshop.

Naya Young

9:10:08AM Okay. I have a motion from board member Hurtak. A second from Miranda. All in favor? Second from Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? All righty. Director Mccray.

Cedric McCray

9:10:22AM Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director. As we refer to the agenda, would request that we receive and file -- a motion to receive and file number 7.

Guido Maniscalco

9:10:32AM So moved.

Naya Young

9:10:33AM We have a motion from board member Maniscalco. Second from board member Hurtak. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay.

Cedric McCray

9:10:43AM We also received a memo to remove, yesterday afternoon, to remove item 8 from the agenda.

Naya Young

9:10:50AM I have a motion from board member Viera. Second from board member Hurtak. All in favor? Any opposed?

Cedric McCray

9:11:03AM If we could move items 11 and 12 due to the dollar amount under staff reports.

Naya Young

9:11:09AM I have a motion from councilwoman Hurtak, second from board member Viera. All in favor? Any opposed?

Cedric McCray

9:11:23AM [Inaudible]

Naya Young

9:11:26AM I have a motion from board member Viera, second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? Attorney Shepard, are you on?

Cliff Shepard

9:11:40AM I am.

Naya Young

9:11:48AM We're -- we have a presentation from board member Viera and then we will have public comment.

Luis Viera

9:11:56AM Thank you, madam chair. Thank you. Always a pleasure. Thank you, madam chairwoman in your first week as CRA chair. So we appreciate you very much. We thank our CRA Board for allowing mr. Craig Gross, who all of us know here, to come today. Craig is a proud gold star father of the late Corporal Frank grandson to talk about the real meaning of Memorial Day. Craig is one of the finest persons I know along with his wonderful wife toni. Corporal Frank Gross was killed in action July 16 of 2011 in Afghanistan. He was 25 years old, a big baseball fan, cal ripken, if I remember, big cal ripken fan. Both Corporal Gross' grandfathers were career military. Craig is a proud united states veteran himself. And Corporal Gross would play baseball at Southeastern University in lakeland Florida. Secure bachelor degree in 2008 adding a master's degree in entertainment business a year later. Always a dream to serve his country like his father did and his grandfathers did and would ultimately do that. As officer, could have foregone boot camp. He chose to go through boot camp to put forth everything for his country. Here to talk about his late son and real meaning of Memorial Day, we have mr. Craig Gross. Franky's dog tag, and also a challenge coin. A little bag to put it in. [ applause ] luis has been a wonderful friend. Many people on the council through the years. Guido. It's good to see you as well. But i'm here today as a representative with gold star families. And a lot of people will ask me what my little pin is, and I say i'm a gold star dad. They'll say, wow, that is really awesome, congratulations. Well, they really don't understand that the pin, it's a pin of remembrance. It's a pin of honor. I never get upset with people about that. I simply say, well, I don't think you really understand. This pin represents my son who gave his life so that we could be a free nation, so we could have forums like this where people have the freedom of speech and freedom of religion as well. We opened up with Prayer today. That doesn't happen everywhere, right? So I want to show you what the face of freedom is right here. You see that, folks. That is the face of freedom. That's my boy. Franky was an exemplary young man. He was inducted into the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 in coopers town. He went on to get a baseball scholarship. And as luis pointed out, he ended up getting his master's degree. When he came home and told me he would be an nco and not an officer, I was like, what? Did you fall down and hit your head? He could have been an officer right out of boot camp. Instead, he chose to be an nco. He served our country well. He went to Afghanistan and unfortunately was killed in an ied attack late at night when they were on a rescue mission out in the middle of the desert. Afghanistan is not a nice neighborhood. I stand here today speaking with a great deal of grief, but also with a great deal of pride. The thing about grief is that your depth of grief is going to be equal to your depth of love for the one that you lost. I will never, ever quit saying my son's name. I ask you today that as we go into Memorial Day weekend that you simply take some time to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. I would like to make a proposal. You know we have all kinds of -- we have cheesecake month. We have pride month. We have this month and that month. But we only have one Memorial Day. I think that what we should do is make may Memorial Day month. The whole darn month. Why not? Celebrate a Soldier, a different Soldier every day and say their names. The reason why I say that is because there is a saying that a Soldier dies twice. The first time when they are killed in action and then the second time they day is when we quit mentioning their names. We never want to have that happen. Thank you very much for this time. And God bless you all. God bless our country. We are free, and remember this, freedom is not free. [ applause ]

Naya Young

9:17:45AM Board member Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

9:17:46AM Thank you very much. It's always an honor to have you here every year. Every day is Memorial Day. Not a day, not a month. Every day. And Your Son is a great american hero. We will never stop saying the name Frank Gross. I know you have a very close friendship with Council Member, board member Viera today, Council Member tonight. But you go out there all over the country. I see your social media and your daughter, I aspire to be like her. What an adventurer. Everywhere you go, you share Your Son's story. Everywhere you go, people hear Your Son's name. You're right when you say a person dies twice. Once when they take their last breath and when somebody mentions their name for the last time. But we will never stop saying his name. Just like you showed his photo today, somebody new saw Your Son's face and now they are reminded of his heroism and he will never be forgotten. Thank you very much. Always an honor to have you here and always good to see you. Thank you, sir.

Naya Young

9:18:54AM Thank you very much for that presentation. I can see the pride when you talk about your son. Thank you. Thank you, board member Viera, for always bringing awesome presentations to us. Thank you very much. And thank you for your son's service. We will now have public comment. We are going to start with our online speakers. But before then, Attorney Shepard, would you please go through the public comment rules?

Cliff Shepard

9:19:29AM Yes, ma'am. Members of the Public are allowed a reasonable opportunity at the beginning of the CRA meeting to address any item on the agenda before the CRA takes official action on an item. However, a three-minute time limit applies to all Speakers providing public comment unless such time frame is modified by a vote of the CRA Board. Speakers and Members of the Public are also reminded that they are to refrain from disruptive behavior, including making vulgar or threatening remarks or making or causing disruptive noises or sounds or displaying signs or graphics. Speakers are also reminded to refrain from launching personal attacks. The Chair Will rule out of order any person who speaks about -- speaks without being recognized or attempts to address the CRA from outside the speaker area at the podium. Persons failing to comply with the CRA's rules may also be ruled out of order and at the discretion of the Chair may be removed from the chambers for the remainder of that day's CRA meeting. Finally, CRA Board members are reminded that they should refrain from engaging a speaker under public comment. The City Council rules as revised June 6, 2024, are now in effect for the CRA Board unless otherwise exempted or overridden by the CRA Board bylaws.

Naya Young

9:20:50AM If you could please silence your cell phones or your mobile devices. Thank you, Attorney Shepard. We have one online speaker and anyone else wishing to speak during public comment, please line up against the wall. Mr. Michael Randolph, are you on? So, today we start a renewed CRA Board, and with it a rare chance to shift from what is to what if. This moment belongs to a new generation of leadership, bold enough to break from the old playbooks and courageous enough to reject the cycle that has failed our community. We are facing real challenges, public policy, job loss, affordable housing, and disbelief in government. It requires imagination. It requires leaders to understand policy is about people and people deserve solutions that honor their dignity. Two new state policy changes. Senate bill 1134 eliminates dui programs and the live local act overrides zoning track and puts large developers with money supposed to be related to Community Development Corporations. But -- to meet these in the second crisis and integrated financial -- for connecting public investment. Number two, bridge the gap using TIF, CRA capital and opportunity zone equity to increase jobs, affordable housing, small business creation and support and close the gap. Guarantee community benefits. Community benefits ties to every public dollar, reducing displacement just as we did with the rome yard project. Madam Chairperson, the torch has passed. And you will build for this. Finally, the West Tampa CDC supports the current proposal for landscaping for the CAC for West Tampa and also we ask and request that you fund Zion Cemetery Project. Thank you so much. Madam Chairperson, to be young, Black and -- it's your time.

9:23:56AM Thank you. [ applause ] [ sounding gavel ]

9:24:00AM We can't have clapping. I appreciate you all. Thank you very much. If you wish to speak in public comment, please line up against the wall. When you come up, you are reminded that you have three minutes. Please state your name and speak to us, please. First come on up. I'm Angevloe Bellamy. Arrested on the night of -- and I want you to hear it from him, what his intentions was on the night of the incident. Responsibility everything that happened that --

9:24:49AM Come a little closer to the mike. Happened that night. But I just wanted to say I do want everyone to know that I was attacked and I don't think that the riverwalk will be a place where we would go and have to look out and watch our back for fights and things like this, because i'm the person that's been to the riverwalk a lot. We go there and just have fun. It's a safe space, if you would say. That night, I did get attacked and I did get arrested, but I feel like everything was just like uncalled for. Everything could have been avoided. I don't know. I feel like I went through something that wasn't needed. I went through a lot that night and I feel like I never want to go back again. And like, I don't know. We go to the riverwalk a lot. It's normal for him to go. He did not go for the intentions of being arrested or to violate or be a disturbance in the area. We always go there. Take their girlfriends there and they have lunches and everything. However, a kid came to him and we have the video, a kid came to him and he had to defend himself. His mistake was running from police officers because it was a lot going on and he's never been in that type of situation. Because when the officer told him that he has a 40-foot taser, he immediately stopped. But a kid that knows to stop knows to lay on their stomach. He laid on his back. That right there let you know that he's not accustomed to being in police officer's thing. Also, he wasn't there alone. My 18-Year-Old Son, my same son that you all honored here, and both of them for saving a lady's life out of a burning house. The household remains the same. We are not belligerent people. I just want to say that I want my son name off of that. I want it off. That's not him. [ applause ]

9:27:33AM We have the members Speaker, please. I was saying next Speaker.

9:27:52AM Please state your name. You have three minutes. I am -- that touched me. I'm Fran Tate, founder and president of the Jackson Heights Neighborhood Association. I'm here to speak on agenda item number 11 and say that I support the project funding. Dr. Walter l. Smith library and museum renovations. And also just to piggyback off of the previous speakers. I also want to say that I wholeheartedly support our children. They are the foundation, they are the future of all of us. I reside in jackson heights. I support potter elementary. I'm a reading coach. I try my best, myself and my neighborhood association try our best to support all the children in that area and surrounding areas, and we will be at the teen takeover. Yes, I did get a call and I did get a text. We work very, very hard with Chief Bercaw and all of the officers in the area, and we want to see our children progress. We want to see them have a bright and beautiful future. We work very, very hard to support that young man and all the children in the area. We don't want to see them arrested. We don't want to see them in susan Lopez's courtroom. We don't want to see that. We do our very best to help all of them and want everybody to, please, give them a break, give them a chance. Let's all rally around them and support them. So we will be at the teen takeover. We have been notified of it. We'll be there 8 p.m. To 12 midnight helping those children. We want the whole community. Help them. Thank you. My name is Riva Iman. I am a resident of the City Of Tampa. Also part of the Zion Cemetery Society. I am the vice-chair. Fred Hearns is the chair. I'm also on the fund-raising committee. Myself, Michael Randolph and attorney jeraldine Williams. I'm here today to speak of the 8 million that we are seeking to help with. So what I did was, I brought, as you can see, a breakdown of the budget that we have had. I would also like to thank Mr. Gonzmart for committing $100,000 to help us towards that. So i'm asking the city to help us as well. This is just not a cemetery. This is history. But with the history, it's not just a cemetery. We have a genealogy center that we would like to build on Florida Avenue. That center is for any and everyone, not just african communities. People who visit the state and city, people that stays here, universities, colleges, they can come and research as well. So we are asking that you really look into helping us get this done. As you see, there is a breakdown of the fees that we need the funding for. So as part of the fund-raising committee, i'll be here a lot. We need your help. We're not just asking you. Those who may be looking today who may want to donate towards this, we would very much appreciate anyone throughout the city, county, united states to help us fulfill our dream of getting Zion taken care of. As you know, Robles park is being demolished right now. Zion is a separate entity from Robles park. So we are hoping -- hand to hand. We have not touched the buildings that these graves are under. That is very delicate and this is a process to do that. This funding will help us do what we need to do as well as getting those buildings out in a special process because we don't want to disturb those buried there. We are asking the city to really, please, help us out today. As you see, 50,000 was given earlier from the city, State of Florida, Hillsborough County, City Of Tampa. 50,000 was given from those three entities. Only 50,000. Only 50,000 from three entities given so far. The city gave 50. State of Florida gave 50. Hillsborough County gave 50. Just think about it. Be part of history. Make this happen, because believe me, you, this committee council right here, can make it happen and be part of the history, too. Thank you.

9:33:48AM Next speaker, state your name, and you have three minutes. Uhuru. Uhuru means freedom in swahili. And we as african people, 826 years oppressed, 826 years dispossessed should always be thinking about our freedom. We should never let people allow people to outsmart us, outtrick us, oppress us, depress us, dispossess us, deeducate us and tell us they are giving us education. None of those things should happen. They should drop the charges against all the youth that was arrested. Then the Crackers have the nerve to publish some of their names. Minors, put their names out there. That's how they do african people. When they see this right here, when they see Black skin, they have no humanity, none whatsoever because that's how they see us. Get in my situation. Talking about Memorial Day and freedom and all that, you all need to get it right. Get it straight. All those people joining the military and all that. That's not soldiers. Those are con scripts. Those are slaves. They are con scripts. Nothing more, nothing less. Talking about Afghanistan. What is he doing in Afghanistan? What is he doing in Afghanistan? Destroying the people culture, community, history, civilization, the same thing they are doing in Iraq and Iran and palestine, the Congo, Chad and everywhere else right now. My situation is, let's talk about Memorial Day. Let's talk about freedom and rights. Let's talk about 1776. Let's talk about the White folks independence. Freedom of speech. Let's talk about their constitutional rights. Freedom of expression. Freedom of religion. I was arrested right here, drug out of here like a dog, like a slave, like an animal. You understand? I want this City Council, all seven of them and your attorney, and your police officer right here to call the state attorney and tell them to drop the charges against Anthony Daniel. Tell them to drop the charges. That is the honorable thing to do. Call the mayor and call the insurance company and say give that man $10 million for his pain and suffering. Ain't got nothing to do with my reparation payment. Give that man $10 million for pain, suffering and humiliation, for just trying to silently and peacefully exist. Just existing. It's a hatred. It's a hatred they have for african people. And then the man harasses me all the time. Every time he sees me, he harasses me. You understand? Yeah. I'm the king of the trolls. We're going to see how trolling works and how harassment works. We're going to see exactly how it works. You all like to see Black people begging. Begging, on our knees. Begging, begging. 826 years of begging. That has to stop. I want $10 million from the city and I want you all to call that state attorney and tell them drop the charges. Plain and simple and drop the charges against all our youth. Arresting those White kids on Davis island when they act crazy.

9:37:00AM Thank you very much. Next speaker, please. Please state your name and you have three minutes. My name is Ashley Morrow. In regards to our youth, there are four boys fighting for their lives because of life-altering decisions they made. One of them did not grow up in the streets. He had access to all the resources. Now he is -- his worth has been reduced to sweat equity and how much free labor they can get out of him if he is granted life in prison. I'm sure the same will be said about the other three, but their defense is describing them as unintelligent with very low iqs. Reading comprehension has been on a downward trend for a very long time. My generation remembers the fcat, and that was a hurdle for many of my peers. Ten years ago before I became a photographer, I taught tv production at a high school. One day two students got into an argument. One of them gave the comeback of you ain't got no followers. It made me pause. These kids were placing their worth in engagement on a free app. These kids were trying to develop while consuming something that is psychologically damaging to them. More programs would be great but sometimes it's not even about creating more programs. It's about getting behind people and organizations already doing the work. They need the support. They need the volunteers, and they need the funding. I'm sure there are programs, list of these programs being created and it goes without saying, still be mindful and careful who you leave your children with. I also appreciate all the political forums and people of influence keeping this topic at the forefront. Cyberbullying is wrong in all forms. Local elections are coming up and here are some important links that you all can use to check your -- girl, shut up. [ laughter ] to check your registration, important dates and deadlines, learn about local candidates and committees and find your voting district. These all go -- votehillsborough.gov Website, the qr codes. Also, civic politics after hours will be coming out -- sorry, please come out and listen to the candidates and have some conversation. Finally, today in history, in 1880, May 14, 1881, the colored people are arranging for a picnic on the alafia river on the 20th inst. The tug hostetter has been chartered to carry the party. Basically, they were having a picnic on the alafia this day however many years ago. I just wanted to share that. Thank you very much for your time.

9:40:00AM Thank you very much. Next speaker, please. You have three minutes. My name is Earnest Lockley. I was born and raised right here in Tampa. I was born in West Tampa and raised in jackson heights. My dad was born and raised in Tampa. He was raised in Hyde Park. At any rate, I have four siblings, and prejudicism has always been a part of my life. I can remember at the age of four, five years old, living Across The Street from jackson height park on Lindell Avenue, and this was in the late '50s, early '60s. And I wasn't allowed to go into that park because I was Black. I can remember prejudicism All The Way through. I graduated from middleton high school. I remember That The Way that they decided to desegregate the schools was to block out middleton and blake and make those schools junior high schools. I graduated in the last year, 1971, that middleton was a high school there on Chelsea Avenue. At any rate, I can remember a whole lot of things. I went into the air force at the age of 17 years old. I graduated on the 6th of June, 16th of June. I was in there, san antonio, Texas, basic training. I decided I wanted to go. My parents signed for me. At any rate, I experienced some prejudicism in there. It's something that I kind of like not really you know, got used to having it, but I got used to it being there and dealing with it. At any rate, now I still live in jackson heights. I've been living in jackson heights, Tampa, Florida, for probably 90% of my life. I have the home that My Mother and My Father built in 1974. Still there. But there is a lot going on for the kids. They have a lot that they have to deal with. That's my concern. My 17-year-old grandson was killed on the corner of 34th and osborne. And the youth need a place to be. Thank you.

9:42:53AM Next speaker, please. You have three minutes. My name is Bishop Michelle B. Patty. I would first like to thank Mr. Cedric Mccray and his staff for enlightening me on the CRA monies that they have available in West Tampa to help people that want to improve their home. However, as I moved around, a lot of people not aware of this forgiveness of loan. We would like to offer from what's really happening a mechanism, if they can get me the information, we would put it out on our podcast every Saturday morning to let the people know about this because a lot of seniors are not aware that there's money, and this money is forgiven. Also, I would like to speak to the parent who has taken accountability with a child. As we talk about getting programs for the youth, we also need to be talking about the family as a whole. There are a lot of families that have single parent who are trying to raise these children on their own and don't have the right to raise them. It's one thing to give the children a place to go and things to do, but if they have to go back home to a lot of obstacles that we're not even aware of, then that's a problem. We need to have -- you look at the School Board. Right now, there are children that are being suspended and thrown out of school with a high number of expulsion and suspension. No one is talking about that. So all that adds into the factor of what we are seeing today. So many components to this issue that is going on with our youth. When I see this young man come before you and say he take ownership, no, he cannot take ownership of the whole night. He only going to be taking ownership of what his part was. Courageous of him and his another to do that. Thirdly, i'm here in support of the Walter Smith Library that this money that has been earmarked, the CRA West Tampa, has graciously said they would give that money, that is something that I Know Dr. Smith, his family, they have all worked tirelessly for. Many donations, I Can Remember Dr. Smith stopped me at the post office, whatever you can give us, please give us a donation for the library. It's good to see that it is coming to fruition and it can be done with the help of City Council saying, okay, let's do it. So we need to just look at things in a holistic approach, not reactive, proactive. We have to be proactive. We have to put things together. We know that there are some youth, and we have to be honest that are out of control. There are some youth. We're not going to reach everyone but every child is worth saving. Every child is worth giving a helping hand to. We have to work hand in hand. Yes, nobody should be allowed to tear up property and not be accountable for it. We'll see what we can do to help those who want to be helped. Unfortunately, there are some that don't. God bless you all.

9:46:02AM Thank you very much. Next speaker, you have three minutes. Please state your name. My name is Valerie Bullock. I'm from ponce de leon and college hill. I want to talk about the teenagers that was out there. I went around and I talked to the police officers, and I asked them why they wasn't there. The police officer told me they knew about it and they was there. So I don't understand how it got out of hand, but I don't know because I wasn't there. But I can tell you when they come in East Tampa, someone call the police, you're going to get SIX officers and SIX different suvs. All of that manpower could have been down there at curtis hixon if they already knew about it, like the officers told me that they did. And the problem isn't the children hanging out because a lot of people was there, and they was just enjoying curtis hixon when the fray started. Now, I was there and i'm just sitting out drinking a sprite and somebody hit me, i'm going to hit them back, and that's how the fray got started. But I just want to say TPD dropped the ball on this one. If they knew this was going to happen they could have been down there like they did at USF during George Floyd. They had the s.w.a.t. Team. They had the horses. They had the riot gear and everything. If they knew this was going to happen, they should have been more prepared for it. I'm going to say this, this right here is only a symptom of the problem. The kids have so much technology at their hand, it used to be if I wanted something to happen at school, I write a note, pass it to somebody, they keep passing it to somebody and that's how the information got around. Now with social media, you can tell the whole world in one click. But the kids really need something to do. I think the root problem is they need more programs and they need more jobs. One we were young from college hill, we went to TPD. It was at the waterfall right downtown Tampa, about a hundred of us escaped down there. And we do what we want to do. We have some fun. Yeah, some fights broke out but then we went on home. It wasn't no big deal like this. But the root problem is, we need to find something to do for the youth. We need to spend the money on the youth. And that is not happening. We give it to all these organizations, abc, get a million, but it never goes down to the bottom where it can change a child's life. I haven't seen it happen and i've been in East Tampa 63 years. They need some money for the library. You all, please give them something. [ applause ] [ sounding gavel ]

9:48:55AM Thank you all. Next speaker, you have three minutes. Items 4, 6, and I don't know why 8 was received and filed, but I hope there's great follow-through on that one. Of course, number 11, walter smith library. Hope they get the whole funding that was requested. I would say for me, the month of May is important because on May 19, 1925, was born our greatest leader, and that was Malcolm X. And the month of May also shows the disdain that americans can have toward african americans, 1985 when this government dropped the bomb on the move organization that resulted in 11 people being killed and 61 houses being destroyed. That's here in this united states. When I hear prayers about how great this america is, it's hard for me to say amen because it's so much history here that continue to haunt us. I saw a soft shoe approach down in soho when the police went down there and dealt with underaged drinking. I don't know how many people or young people was arrested there, but when I think about Curtis Hixon Park, all I think about is a big green, grassy area, like there is no ferris wheel over there. It is a gathering spot. Unfortunately, because so many spots in our community, there is a cost to go to the park and open up a recreation center. There is a cost associated when you would like for your children to have the very best experience that it can have. The fact of the matter is that in our community, we are dealing with underemployment and unemployment. We are dealing with the system of poverty and what poverty cannot change is economic opportunity for all. That's something that you could do. But, unfortunately, we still, you know, struggling this issue of what will become of East Tampa. As you deal this morning with how money is going to be invested, $50 million, I believe, down in ybor, look at how 20 years and some of you been up there for about 20 years, and the slow progress of East Tampa. We continue to come down here week after week after week sounding the alarm. Some of you all going to move around into other different political situation, but I hope you always remember the mismarks in East Tampa that would have given our children an opportunity that they could see a future for themselves. Right now, what our children see mostly is despair.

9:52:02AM Thank you very much. If there's anyone else that wishes to speak during public comment, please line up against the wall. I was going to do something different today, but present company made me change. I have to change my message. Little off guard. Love you anyway, Auntie. Next time let me know you will be here. They say the greatest trick they'll pull is convince the world you didn't exist, right? I'm not using this as an opportunity to call out so-called christians, many of which, people claim to be that on a particular side of the political landscape to be. But i'm just watching their actions play out. I'm saying that this is probably going to surprise a lot of you all. I thought I was a Republican when growing up in biloxi, Mississippi. Many, many years ago. Before I knew about a Dr. Eddie. He was from moss point. I think I am a year older. If he was there when I was there, if he played football at moss point, he would have played against me when I was at fernwood. Would have kicked their ass, pretty good. One of my teams was undefeated in football. I want to talk to the young people getting ready to graduate. I've known a couple already graduated from college and many are graduating from high school these upcoming weeks from many of our institutions in this city. A friend of mine told me a long time ago, he said, doss, you are never going to be successful at what you do until your assignment becomes your passion. Shout-out to my man John Nee down in sarasota. To the young people i'm going to say this, i'm living in my future because two score years ago, which would be 40 years ago, I walked across a stage -- the greatest institution of higher learning in the city, some 40 years ago. I'm celebrating my 40th anniversary. But it also coincides, people, with a week later I walked right into the United States Army. Walked right across into the United States Army because I believe this country was on a better trajectory than what i'm being shown. How much I distrust everything that I see around here, but to the young people, you can control your future. Do better than I did. I've had many great people in my family. A brother Doctor. Aunt that is a Doctor. A daughter is a Doctor and a cousin who is a Doctor. In fact, i've got two now that I think about it.young People, take control of your posterity. That being said, I had to behave today. Shout-out to the greatest institution of higher learning in the City Of Tampa, University of Thomas Jefferson High School.

9:55:12AM Thank you. Next speaker, you have three minutes. Just for the public, we can hear everything up here. Even if you are whispering, it's very loud to us. If you could please keep your conversation to a minimum or if you have to speak to go outside because we hear everything up here. It's in both of our ears. Thank you. Next speaker, you have three minutes. If anybody else is speaking, please line up against the wall so we know who else is left to speak. Go ahead. Dr. Carolyn Collins, Tampa, Florida, West Tampa, Carver City, Lincoln gardens, et cetera. I want to talk about number 11, but before I do that I would be remiss if I did not mention the lives of young people that's being impacted. Enough people have said enough. I heard them, some of much I agree with. But I want to say something different. To the gentleman who was on tv and who made the comment about the kids, we suggest that what he should do is go in the community. Go to some of the local churches. Go to some of the schools and make an offer to do something there before you go on tv to tell us all these kids and you want to change them and all that and make sure they are criminals, et cetera. Because we've done enough that hurt the kids. Let's put forth an effort to do something to help them. In saying that, that's something that I Think Dr. Walter L. Smith, the 7th president of Florida Agriculture Mechanical University did at the library. I'm here today because i'm pleased and I want to say to the West Tampa CRA and to the City Council who actually, in my opinion, is the CRA, what I would like to say to You Is Dr. Walter Smith, 7th president at the Florida Agriculture Mechanical University happened to be the only hbcu 1890 land grant in the State of Florida. There is 1862. Look at the difference between the years at University of Florida. That is the land grant. The things that he did at the university Florida almost seven, eight years as our president, the things he did with his family and the things he brought back to this community and those things put in the library, the kind of things that he did. I can remember the young man who lived in West Tampa who waited to get his check every month so he could go and buy cookies and chips and juice so that he carry it Over To Dr. Smith and he wanted to help to make sure that he was giving those kids something. Those kids were in dire straits. Many parents was at work or didn't know what was going on. We need to make investments as being done now with the Walter L. Smith, Dr. Walter L. Smith library. We are so grateful as part of the alumni in this city that this is being done, and we as an Alumni Association, both national, state, and in the region, want to make sure that I came today to say to you, we are there to support them as you support them financially. We're going to support them with everything that need to be supported. And I will close out by saying, thank you for what you do. That's all I said last week. It is grateful. And there are problems. But what we need to do is work collaboratively together as a community to solve them and not make more. Thank you.

9:58:51AM Next speaker, please state your name. You have three minutes. Alison Hewitt, East Tampa resident and business owner. I sent each one of you a couple of memos. One is being printed today about this agenda. I want to start with the CRA director's monthly report. I have some suggestions in there to help with transparency and accountability. You spent three hours at a workshop to talk about the service agreement with the city. A lot of items were discussed and was very positive. However, the ability to make sure that items were moved forward was not something that you discussed, so i'm hoping that before the agreement ends that you have some additional discussions. Examples on the report, you have delays CRA, slash, city, what are those delays? As you can see, some of those don't even have dates on them. So you don't know when you look at it that some of those things have occurred and have been in flux for ten years. So I ask to you really look at those reports and make sure we're pushing things forward. The next item on there is the Channel District ybor harbor. It's an incredible example of how you use CRA dollars to incentivize private investment. But private investment does not mean also gentrification. At this current project, there's no displacement, but with a project of this magnitude, the tax base is going to increase out into ybor. We need to make sure, and surrounding areas, those small businesses, those residences are prepared or have incentives to be able to stay and take advantage of this incredible growth. I also want to commend that team. It is very different from what you have before with you the rays' stadium. This is a significant ask. They are asking and not putting anything at risk. They are asking after they spend the money to be reimbursed. I think that is a really good idea. The next thing is the Channel District is a new infrastructure going to be connected to old infrastructure? Channel District experiences a lot of flooding at the time and a lot of people have now called Channel District home. It is not just a location. It is a home for people. We need to make sure, too, as construction is happening that we're able to let them know ahead of time. I.e., What you're doing in Drew Park, construction happening and outreach on the 18th to make sure that those small businesses are prepared. The next thing on the agenda I'D like to talk about is the Walter Smith Library. This is an example of how to manage the large development and actually development for the people who have been here and invested in the community. It is not only just replacing the library, but they have now been able to reimagine themselves as a coffee shop. Reimagine themselves with a gift shop. They will now be an economic engine and not just a destination. I want to thank you. Also have another memo for the rays' stadium. I encourage the CRA to be at the table.

10:02:00AM Thank you very much. Are you speaking? Is this our last speaker? Thank you. Go ahead, state your name, you have three minutes. Robin Lockett. Several things. I guess first of all I am in support of Number 11, Walter Smith Library. Historical Place and I like the idea, love the idea that it is going to be an economic engine with the coffee shop and so much more. He's been working on this, just referencing what Bishop Patty said. He will try to get a donation from you. He didn't care where it was. Again, it's been there for a long time and how can we, when the hurricane tore it down from what it was, how can we renew it and rebuild it? I commend this young man for coming up and accepting his responsibility and wanting to create -- re-create the narrative that was given for him. I commend the mother for standing, of course, by him and referencing -- referencing those are kids that made me cry -- i'm standing right there when they ran into a burning building to save a life. She outlined what the foundation of her family is. I think two parts to this is, we are having problems with kids, right? That's an issue. But all of them cannot be lumped together and treated the same. Additional questions need to be asked, right? Just further investigation before the arrest because once you have a conversation and you are able to separate kids from one another and have a clearer outcome with them, you'll be able to decipher who should be arrested and who shouldn't. I hope whatever happens with this young man, it's not a record for him. It is a lesson. Whatever lesson he is supposed to get out of it. Whatever lesson he's supposed to bring to us. Zion Cemetery, of course, I sit on the board of Zion Cemetery. 100% behind the $8 million that we're asking you guys for. It's not about the money. How do you bring something that happened disrespectfully to a location, a burial site? How can you bring something great around that? I support that 100%. Thank you. Great job, Councilwoman, chair Young.

10:04:59AM Thank you. That concludes public comment. We are going to move to our staff reports.

Brenda Thrower

10:05:11AM Good morning. Brenda Thrower, Ybor City CRA manager. I have the honor of introducing Tom Degeorge. He is our Ybor CAC chair, also representing the Ybor Merchants Association. He's going to share a brief update on what's happening in Ybor City. Tom. I'm Tom Degeorge, chair of the Ybor CAC representing the Ybor Merchants Association.

Luis Viera

10:05:39AM If I may so, how long do you think you'll need for your presentation?

10:05:51AM Do you think ten is good? Let's do ten just for a safety net. Go ahead, sir. I apologize. Thank you. To be here today to share what's happening in the ybor community redevelopment areas in ybor CRA one, the business CORPs of the historic district. We just completed phase two of the 7th avenue bricking project from 17th to 19th street. This project was completed two weeks ahead of schedule with minimal disruption to businesses and visitors of the district. The street looks great and the contractor did a good job sourcing and installing the historic bricks. Traffic is slow on 7th avenue now. To date, we have completed the bricking of four blocks of 7th avenue and have ten more blocks to go. The next phase will entail bricking the intersections and then the remaining blocks of 7th avenue. Other infrastructure projects from Ybor CRA 1 include upgrading the ybor district signage and working with city parks on an RFP for updated design for centennial park. CRA 2, the Neighborhood Association have identified community needs and requested funding priorities for new sidewalks, landscaping, trees, and stormwater drain improvements. We are working with the key City departments -- mobility, stormwater, parks -- to get these projects going. For both Ybor CRA 1 and 2, we are in the process of updating our community redevelopment plans and have engaged Kittelson as the consultant for this project. We will be having community engagement meetings this summer to solicit input from ybor residents, commercial businesses, and stakeholders regarding ybor's future until both CRAs sunset in 2034. As a business owner, I appreciate the commercial grants that are available to assist small business owners with interior and exterior business improvements. Any program that attracts economic activity, new investment, and reduces vacancies in the historic district is highly encouraged. We look forward to the three new grant programs that you plan to approve this summer to assist with predevelopment, special projects, and commercial development. Safety and cleanliness of Ybor City are very important to the district's success. The Yes Team, operated block by block, does a great job every day cleaning and patrolling the district. They are friendly and visible team wearing distinct yellow shirts and have proven to be very helpful to the entire community. Yes Team manager Mark Rendini has been very responsive and works closely with law enforcement and Code Enforcement to address issues. He attends the monthly CAC meetings along with Tampa Police Captain and Code Enforcement staff members who provide monthly activity reports. Can't say enough about the current Yes Team. They are truly phenomenal and done great work. Affordable housing continues to be a challenge in Ybor City CRAs. We have been earmarking funds for the past several years by CRA Board decision. But little to no funds have been expanded. Tampa CRA Staff has regularly provided information on the CRA rehab and down payment housing programs which the CAC members share with their respective organizations. Also, b. Parks with the CAC housing team has presented a proposal to attract the private sector to partner with the CRA to create affordable housing units. Since we have a healthy balance in both CRA 1 and 2 for affordable housing, the CAC has expressed support for redirecting this annual 30% allocation to complete other priority projects like the 7th avenue bricking and other Neighborhood Infrastructure projects. In closing, I want to thank the CRA Board for their support in allowing the CACs to provide useful input and direction for the redevelopment of Ybor City. Ybor is a Very Special Place in Tampa, and we all want well-guided and responsible development for our national historic landmark district.

Naya Young

10:10:20AM Thank you. Board members, any questions?

Lynn Hurtak

10:10:26AM Thank you so much for that really great in-depth presentation. It was just -- I mean, literally touched on everything that we always want to know about ybor. We have talked about reallocating housing -- Affordable Housing Funds in CRAs that have not been able to do much with it. What percentage are you looking at and what project would you target if you know? I can get back to you on that.

10:11:02AM Yeah. I'm curious because knowing the projects, I mean, bricking is one thing, but what other types of --

10:11:10AM Okay. Stormwater. So some of those other -- the stormwater, the sidewalks, the other infrastructure.

10:11:17AM Okay. So more infrastructure. I appreciate it. Just something that the community needs to hear as we debate that. And we'll send an e-mail to the CRA with a little bit more detail. The percentages and what we would use it for.

10:11:38AM I appreciate that. It is something we have heard for many years. So I would be interested. I've seen the healthy balance you do have there and I know what you all are trying to accomplish. I think we are at a point now where that's something that we are willing to discuss. I really do appreciate that. But still with the amount that we have, still working hard with Ms. Parks to do what we can to put affordable housing in the district. For sure.

10:12:13AM Yeah. Okay. Thank you so much.

Naya Young

10:12:17AM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

10:12:18AM Thank you, Madam Chair. Good to see you today, sir. I would be remiss if publicly I didn't give you an opportunity, sir, to talk about something that is not just close to your heart but that is your heart which is obviously the smaller forum, the music scene in Ybor City and something that is 100% your heart and your passion in terms of what we can do here through our CRA and otherwise to help keep that alive in Ybor City if you wanted to give an opportunity to talk about that. Be treated more like cultural institutions. I think they are safe havens in our city. When we talk about things for our youth to do, like music is a healthy thing. We need more music, and we need to protect, like I said, our spaces, you know, that have been around here for years and years and years. I don't know what the answers are. I know that large corporations, possibly replacing them, is definitely not the answer. I will certainly be in front of this board again to speak on that at a later time. Yeah, I think our independent venues, not just in Ybor City, but in Tampa in general need more support as well as all of our small businesses. A lot of our small businesses are struggling right now. Coming off the pandemic, everything has been increasingly difficult. When you have a changing city that's developing, especially hard on small business.

10:14:02AM Whether the ritz, crowbar, whatever it is, you know, a lot of times I would imagine you get certain acts. I'm on four hours of sleep.

10:14:18AM God bless you. Good for you. I remember -- what's his face -- Tom Murillo was supposed to come to the ritz, and then he opted to go with Bruce Springsteen instead for his tour. That was really good.

10:14:32AM I was at the sunrise show where he played with Springsteen. But a lot of times, obviously, singers -- artists like Tom Murillo will go for larger venues. I would imagine he did that I would imagine on principle, but we do have to do everything we can obviously to preserve that, so it's a conversation we need to have at a later time. I would be remiss if I didn't ask you that in your capacity right now. Thank you for all you do. God bless you.

Naya Young

10:14:56AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

10:15:00AM I'll piggyback on that. I agree that the small venue for music should be treated more as a cultural thing but I believe two spaces can exist and be complementary of each other, different sizes. With our small business grants, maybe we could look at an opportunity to expand those specifically in historic Ybor City for small venues, for performances. I think that might be worthy of exploration with CRA Staff and subject matter experts like yourself and a way to preserve that type of cultural history. At the same time, rising water lifts all boats. Any Way we can encourage any type of performing arts, regardless of the size. Discussion. It is the operator. Live Nation. Found guilty of being a monopoly. When they vertically integrated a market they tend to hold all the water to themselves.

10:15:57AM Gotcha. I've been swinging for this for quite some time now. The 30% set-aside. I think we need to work with the CACs, specifically in Ybor City and channelside, downtown and central park, to work with the CACs, as we're looking at FY '27 and working with CRA Staff, potentially reprogramming some of this, I think in Ybor City, we're looking at this redevelopment potential on the eastern side. I'm a big advocate for transportation, extending the streetcar. There may be opportunities to help assist with that project as we're looking to try to build a capital -- to do these type of things and transportation infrastructure. The CRAs I listed are very different types of situations. Central park is different than ybor. Ybor is different than downtown. Downtown is different than channelside. I think we could look at that. I would encourage maybe us to have that dialogue amongst the board members along with the CRA Staff and the CACs as we look at FY '27 because we basically now created a savings bank, so we can look at this in a way of, okay, doing the same thing over and over again and haven't gotten different results, maybe it's time to pivot and look at other things. We have time to be able to diligently, really deliberately look at how we can spend the money to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people, it was a very admirable goal at the time to do what they did. In those particular CRAs, works very well in East Tampa, West Tampa and potentially work well in Drew Park. Thank you.

Naya Young

10:17:42AM Thank you. Board member Miranda. Mr. Degeorge, thank you for your time and sincerity of Ybor City. I had the pleasure being born there couple, two hundred years ago. I lived there about eight years. Nicest Place in the world to be raised at. The problem in flooding, even though that is one of the highest areas in the city, had a lot of things going forward then that it doesn't have now. Tell you what they were. Houses were built of brick, eight sides of brick and then the house formed. Two and a half, three foot over the land and you never had flooding because the water would sink in all over the neighborhoods. I drive by where I was raised at. Between 21st and 24th avenue and I see a lot of remodeling going on. A couple of new houses built. Slowly but surely it's getting there. However, as I see it, the cost of housing then when it started and now is like winter and summer. They are not the same. What does housing cost today? What is the land and what is the value of building a house? The cost of building a house? There lies the affordability. To me, affordable housing doesn't exist. It existed when it started then. It does not exist now. Right now, if you earn $25 an hour, husband and wife, and by the time you pay the taxes and pay the insurance on your new house, there's nothing left to do and make the payment on the house. I'm making an assumption here on my part because no one ever told me what a house costs to build. These are the things I look at and struggle with, but it was different times. You talk about entertainment. They had clubs there, centro asturiano, Cuban Club, Italian Club, functions every week of different size. Whole Place was full. Sidewalks larger and wider in Ybor City than anywhere in the City Of Tampa. You could walk the streets with no one bothering you, none. You know why? You lived there or you lived close by and everybody lived together. Now very few even care to go to Ybor City. Those who do say, what is this? Because they have never been there. History repeats itself. I hope it's coming back more so like what it was. Ritz theater, casino theater. Even the Cuban Club -- Italian Club I mean had a theater. These things are coming and going. But little by little, we're making some progress. However, time is not on our side. Thank you very much, sir.

10:20:26AM Thank you, Councilman Miranda.

Guido Maniscalco

10:20:30AM Thank you very much. I like what you said music is healthy. Treating the institutions and cultural institutions beyond the Mutual Aid Societies and the buildings we have that weren't mentioned like the italian club and whatnot. Having spent my whole life going to Ybor City, at least the last 25 years so many different events that Have Taken Place there. The intimacy of the smaller venues. The mom and pop locations. It's different. It's unique. It's an experience that people specifically go there for. They want to be close. You and I talked about this, a concert that I went to close to 25 years ago. I was right there with the band. It was only floor seats. And that's what I wanted. I didn't want stadium size. I didn't want mid size venue. I wanted that intimacy. The beauty of it is it's within Ybor City. I think right now talking about, I hope it comes back like it was, I think this is a new renaissance. Ybor City might be even more beautiful than what it was a hundred years ago, but change is good. Change we have to be very careful with. It's a different world that we're living in. But at the same time, we need to protect what's there. It's nice that we're rebricking. You had mentioned traffic is slowing down for those few blocks we've done. It will continue as we further expand that. Again, we don't want to lose the makeup and character of what makes ybor, ybor. Just to touch on what both of you have said, I believe the familiarity is those anchor businesses that are in the district. Those little mom and pop spaces, like the little ybor supermarket where it is family owned and you know that when you go there, if you are a couple of bucks short, they'll work with you on it. There are people in the district that have been there for years that everyone knows that make it like a little neighborhood. If those people can't afford to stay in the district, and that changes, that's where I think a lot of the problems come in. Once again, things are expensive and it's hard for people.

10:22:34AM I want to see an ybor for everybody, that no one is excluded. We talk about affordability and that is a crisis, that's throughout the entire city. But look at property values in Ybor City for the last 40 years. The stories that I hear, the old ads I hear, building on 7th avenue, building on 7th avenue, $125,000. $100,000. A lady told me about her husband bought where elmer's sports bar was. I think he paid, in 1988, 80 grand.

10:23:06AM I would sell everything and buy it today. That was almost 40 years ago and ybor has changed. At the same time, it's such a Unique Place. People say, you love Ybor City, go to new orleans. New orleans is new orleans. Go To St. Augustine, go to savannah. We have something that is so special and we have to protect that. We need a balance. Moving forward, we need to be careful with our decisions and what we invest in because it is a draw. People come here because of Ybor City. They come here for many reasons, but it is a destination. I hope that with that renaissance of what we are experiencing, going to experience, we maintain that balance and we look to the past to build for the future. We protect that makeup and that environment. That's it. Thank you.

Naya Young

10:23:48AM Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Degeorge. That was a great report. I also want to thank you for being, you know, when it comes to youth and community, you are very active. I want to thank you just for the work you have done. I, too, have seen the Yes Team, and they are also --

10:24:08AM -- they are very, very awesome. I agree with the sentiments of my other board members. Ybor is definitely a community asset. It is a place that lots of history and we want to preserve. I think that's it. Any other comments? Thank you all very much. Director Mccray.

Cedric McCray

10:24:38AM Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director. Part of the director's report, you customarily receive the project tracker related to the special projects. Commercial grants, housing grants as well. If there are no questions, I would like to highlight in addition to the website that our commercial grants team has put together related to awardees of some of the grants for commercial grants. So there are photos that we have from the signing of the required documents and then we have some testimonial information. You may see some faces that you're familiar with as I toggle through, but these are all business owners across all the CRAs that have began the process of receiving commercial interior and/or exterior grants. And then as I scroll down, some high-level information related to the anticipated amounts. The address locations with pictures of the existing projects as they were before the work is being completed. Our commercial grants team worked with t & I to pull this together and launch the testimonial page. Just to keep the board and our residents and business owners informed about the work that we're doing across all the CRAs related to the commercial grants process. I'll pause for any questions there.

Naya Young

10:26:45AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:26:46AM Yes. I just passed out a copy of the tracker. Ms. Scharf and I, I said -- i'll wait until you all are listening. Thank you. Because this is really important. I would like you to turn to the Channel District, infrastructure and capital reports. What Ms. Scharf and I did, we went through these and asked them to update them with all the empty information because a lot of this information was empty. Do you have a copy of it that you could put on the wolf for me? What we're hearing and I have met with multiple CRAs this month who have reached out after hearing the fact that Ms. Scharf and I took on this task, after hours special call meeting, and they are very interested in knowing more every month about what's actually occurring. We'll wait for that to pop up. For example, item number 3, 4, 5 are these neighborhood parks. The Washington Street park, the CAC recommended it, and we approved that in 2023. It looks like the RFQ was not posted until 2026. So there is a lot of, like, these parks, all of this information people really just want to know how is it going? Where is it going? What is the holdup? Why are things stuck? I'm choosing the Channel District as a test case because literally it is the first page and that's why I chose it. Overall, this is what we're hearing from the CACs and from the community because we have a sense of urgency as these CRAs are set to expire. So, for example, if you look at the Drew Park CRA, you know, what we're hearing in the media right now is that Drew Park has all of this money in it. Well, that's not true. There's $18 million in that CRA but they are all accounted for. None of the projects have started but all of that money is accounted for. Not only that, we don't have the amount of money we need to do the projects that the CAC and the board have recommended. I am just concerned. My response is to ask all of you, this is what we have done. My next recommendation for the staff was next month to highlight the changes and any changes in the update on the far land side to let us know what has changed month to month. But i'm asking this board, because we're hearing from the CACs, what other things do you want to occur so that we can really keep all of these projects on the forefront in our minds to go forward every single month so we make sure things are moving and that we find the spots where we're having slowdowns. My question, what do we want? What are we looking for?

Alan Clendenin

10:30:17AM Isn't that kind of what staff is doing?

Lynn Hurtak

10:30:21AM No. I'm hearing from the CACs that they are not getting a level of update and information. It's truly our responsibility to do that. Staff, it's not their fault for doing it, but keeping us updated is pretty critical.

Naya Young

10:30:41AM I want to go to --

Charlie Miranda

10:30:45AM Staff's fault or the CAC Staff. We have to find out how to get these things done. Funded for three or four years. I understand that, and she's right. And I would just like to see more compacted information project so we can understand what's going on.

Naya Young

10:31:01AM Director McCray. Okay. Go ahead.

Luis Viera

10:31:05AM I was going to say, what I do on my stuff is there is a lot of projects that I push for in the budget or request or spearhead or whatever. I literally just yesterday, I called Mr. Fowler with Parks and Recreation on a huge project that's happening out in k-bar ranch that I want to make sure that the status of it, et cetera. If it's a bunch of projects, we can get updated on them quarterly or what have you. If it is one that a particular member has an interest in, subject matter interest or something unique to your district, those of us who have districts or particular area, I mean, I just have internal checkup points on a lot of projects I did in my last 9.5 Years because I find if you forget about it -- and it's nothing about staff. Staff moves on things. They are wonderful and so forth, but you have to take a member initiative on those individual projects to keep them moving forward because staff has a lot of projects. That individual initiative I think is part of the formula I guess if you will.

Naya Young

10:32:09AM Director McCray and board member Hurtak.

Cedric McCray

10:32:12AM Yes, thank you. We will gladly take any suggestions that the board may have moving forward related to the updates. We have made several adjustments in the project tracker in recent months. I will remind the board that until 2024, we were not providing this information. In some instances, the CACs actually see the undertracker depending on when their meeting falls earlier in the month before you all see it as a board. They receive the same information you do as a CRA Board. I wanted to make that point. Also specifically related to Drew Park, if you remember last Tuesday, I actually, the same tracker that was just on the wolf a few moments ago or elmo, those projects are funded for the most part. We did ask the CAC what their priorities were. There were things that were in process. The consultants were hired. So we've been moving those things along. Several of them will be coming into fruition the end of this year, sometime in 2027. We are actively working, and that is separate and divorced from any other conversations related to that specific area. Those projects are moving forward. I'll call Ms. Martinez up to address the Washington Street park. Melisa Martinez. I'm the senior project supervisor of the CRA. In reference for the Washington Street, Washington Street -- we worked with the owner, Parks Department. Parks Department wanted to put together an RFQ Including Washington Street park and curtis hixon because consider to them to have a contractor, have a big enough contract to -- if not, they don't get feedback. Contractors that want to do a small part or do minimal renovations. That is the reason why we were waiting for the approval from this board for the curtis hixon grant, and then once that was approved, then the RFQ went out for both parks. Sometimes we work with that, that we have to wait for some of the departments. We do give updates, and whenever -- we went to the Drew Park, I spoke with them and I asked them what else we wanted to do. We agreed that quarterly my staff would come in and we'll give a more in-depth update with presentation style instead of having the report so they have an update of what's going on. Sometimes there are a lot of things in the background happening with the permitting, with plan review, with the revisions. If I start putting everything on the report, you'll end up with a 50 page report. We try to at least minimize to see the plans are being reviewed. Add more of the dates and highlight every month that we are highlighting any of the updates, that update would be highlighted compared to the other ones below. Hopefully --

Naya Young

10:35:05AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:35:07AM Thank you. The Washington Street park, that CRA approval still in 2023. So I think that having updates monthly with dates will be helpful if there are things, like problems with permitting or problems with this. Because these are the problems that, yes, staff knows about, but we don't know about the CAC doesn't know about, they can't come to us and say, hey, we heard there is a permitting problem. Can you help? Oftentimes if we don't know about it, there's nothing we can do. But it is unfortunately, there are like 50 projects, and we've already been told that we aren't allowed to divide the CRAs up amongst ourselves. We can't do that. So, yeah. I don't know that Mr. Shepard would say that we can divide the projects up. Probably not. But maybe. So, yes, I think that this is just something that we're going to be bringing up and i'm going to continue to bring these printed copies so that we can talk about projects, but how we want to talk about them is the question. Do we want to focus -- I don't want to necessarily focus on the CRA, but we have to figure out what we're waiting on. For example, i'm looking at East Tampa, and i'm seeing a stormwater pond project for 22nd street and 26th avenue. We approved those in 2019. According to this, it was approved in 2019. But -- and it was a direct request from Former Council Member Gudes. It's pending completion of the alleyway study and funding allocation. I thought we had funded 22nd street. So it's now saying that CRA parks and rec and contract admin working on project initiation and guidelines. Basically what you're saying is that we're waiting on the city somewhat. So that's the kind of stuff that we need to know, too. Couple of years ago that we're not able to do maintenance on the projects that we are creating. And that creates a backlog on the city and a burden to the city department that is going to take over once we finish the construction. We're doing beautiful park and turn it over to Parks Department, now they are responsible for the maintenance where they may not have it on their budget. So we're trying to figure out a way, and I think that's what took a little bit of the time trying to figure out, and I think we came up and Attorney Shepard is online, with the way that we are able to somehow get some of the management of that and do it for two- or three-year period to give enough time for the city to put those parks into their portfolio for funding.

10:38:10AM Mr. Mccray, my question to you, though, when you come across a problem like that, why aren't you bringing it to us?

Cedric McCray

10:38:20AM Point taken. We try to work with our City Staff and departments as a conduit to come to some resolution, as Ms. Martinez just alluded, we have leaned on Attorney Shepard for advisement and advice related to finding remedies to some of the hangups that we may have. We will continue to do so and bring that to the board if we are at a standpoint where we can't find a resolution.

Lynn Hurtak

10:38:45AM My point being is that it is our problem to solve. It is not staff's problem. It is not necessarily Attorney Shepard's problem. Like, if these are problems, we need to know about them. So we can solve them. I know it's very difficult because there are seven of us. But it is not staff's problem to solve.

Naya Young

10:39:05AM I want to go to board member Miranda and then --

Charlie Miranda

10:39:09AM Thank you very much, Madam Chair. To your benefit, I think you have done an excellent job of reporting. Over a hundred of these things that you started somewhere or not started on track. On track more than anyone else. You have a problem, if you need help with the city, call somebody in the city. We'll try to help. In fact, I just saw the smith item on the agenda. Not started. It will start very soon. These are the things that are to your favor, but completed, on hold, not started, track, track. Do me a personal favorite, put a page number so when we talk about it, we can find it real easy on these papers. These are things I hope we can complete and on track. CRAs has a lot of time left but a short time in history. SIX or seven years in some. What i'm saying is, we have to have a better communication, not that you're doing something that is not kosher. Just that the information, we're not receiving for one reason or another, why it is on track, why it hasn't started. Might be the difference between the CRA and the city. That's how it is. You're doing a job that you're doing well. It's just got to be explained a little bit better. One page here has one, two, three, four, five, SIX, seven of them are on track. You have the reason what's going on. One is completed. Massey park just the other day. The Jackson House, that started. We know what that is. It's on the way. These are the things that a little bit better explanation, already here what you're doing and we appreciate that very much. Speaking for all of us I hope. And you're doing a great job. Some of these started, 23 and 24 are still here.

Naya Young

10:41:04AM Just to wrap it up, I think in the interest of being transparent and letting people know what's going on, I think agreeing with our board members, giving us a little bit more in-depth of what's going on because I know we all probably get questions and we're out and sometimes we don't necessarily know. Telling us that information I think could be helpful but also to the community as well because everyone is kind of wondering, what's going to happen because we know these sunsets are coming. We're kind of like what will happen with the money, what will happen with the projects. I think having more in-depth like you were saying with the CACs but also letting us know so we can help you I think would be helpful and beneficial. Any other comments? I have to get used to calling you all board members. Council member to board member. We can move on to agenda item number 3. Director Mccray, go ahead.

Cedric McCray

10:42:07AM Just a couple of more items. As you know, we've had several ribbon cuttings in various CRAs the last couple of weeks. I wanted to highlight two of those. I'm going to slide this photo on the wolf. Thank you, each of you that were able to attend the Salcines park ribbon cutting in West Tampa. And that was for $1.4 Million in the West Tampa CRA. And the event we just attended at the residences at 801 whiting, and that was 22 units and the board members that were in attendance were able to tour the building and the facility. So I just want to say thank you to our team for that, ms. Parks and ms. Orr in working through that. Just wanted to highlight those two events. And that concludes my report.

Naya Young

10:43:04AM Thank you very much. Agenda item number 3.

Brenda Thrower

10:43:14AM Good morning, CRA Board. Brenda Thrower. I am the West Tampa CRA development manager. I'm here to talk about a project that is moving forward. Rey park. We just did the ribbon cutting on Salcines park. We are now moving forward to do rey park. There should be a groundbreaking soon. As soon as we know, we'll have everybody come out for that. It is a $3.9 Million project. As we started looking at rey park, we realized that we had planned to do everything within the park, but we needed to do some streetscaping around the park. I'm giving you big diagrams. I can put this on the wolf if you would like for the public to see. This is the streetscape improvements. Additional streetscape improvements to complete the park. This would be streetscape along the avenues of Howard Avenue, palmetto, Twit Street which connects between cherry and palmetto, and Then Cherry Street.

Naya Young

10:44:10AM Can you move it up a little bit? Perfect.

Brenda Thrower

10:44:17AM This was included in your packet. I just made it bigger so we could all see it. You can use it as a place mat later if you would like. The request today, we need about a million dollars more. And this is a project where the CRA Projects Team, the Parks Department, the CAC have been working together on this project. So everyone is aligned. Everyone is working. So they came back, parks kind of looked at the streetscape and said we need on-street parking, sidewalks, landscaping, trees, lighting, and irrigation system and brick pavement. And all of that sort of totaled up to around a million dollars. That's why i'm presenting it to you today. At first when we took it to the CAC last summer when we were looking at this, I thought we would put it into the FY '27 budget, but the project is moving along, they are about to ground break and they really would like to have the money now. So we have money in district improvements. I'm just reappropriating $1 million from that line item into the rey park streetscape line item, creating a new one for it. And that's pretty much it. Do you have any questions?

Naya Young

10:45:29AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:45:30AM Thank you. No questions, just more a comment. If you could put that -- the image back, CCTV. Thank you. One of the things that has been a huge problem Along Howard Avenue as we add parking Along The Street is visibility for people who are leaving, like, say palmetto and cherry. So I really Love The Way that you on the intersection of howard and palmetto, how you have the hatched spaces at that top right-hand corner. We may even need to -- I think that's going to be a visibility issue to see if we need to expand that more, but I also like seeing it, the no parking at the corner of cherry and twit as well. I think that makes a lot of sense as to the visibility. Not only is it no parking, it needs to be hatched. Not even hatched. We're at the point now that we're in if it sits, it fits culture. We need to actually probably add bollards there even if they are plastic so people do not believe that they can take that moment and sit there regardless. Because as those streets and those -- the streets are narrow. The buildings are right up to the edge which is what we want a very walkable and movable community. But how we integrate cars is really important in that area. We had to talk about that I believe with Salcines Park, so I wanted to make sure I brought it up here. This looks lovely. I understand why we can't have all the trees I wanted, but it is going to be a beautiful space. Thank you so much.

Alan Clendenin

10:47:14AM I think it's a great example of the CRA working with City Staff and our staff working with City Staff to be able to create a good project for the neighborhood. I believe you probably need a motion to approve the reallocation of funds, the $1 million reallocation as requested. I make that motion.

Naya Young

10:47:31AM I have a motion from board member Clendenin. Second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor?

Charlie Miranda

10:47:40AM Again, carrying on with board member Hurtak said, the park issue is hundred percent correct. You cannot have a parking spot at the end of the street, intersection and look left because you can't see what's coming. There's no parking there. Kudos to all of you for Thinking That Way. If you go Down Howard Avenue, Every Street should have the one vacant spot and doesn't have it now. Asking for trouble on both sides of the street on howard because you cannot see what is coming. Even the fire trucks can't see what's coming. We have a problem there we should address immediately and doesn't cost anything. Just take that parking spot out. That's my opinion with Council Member Hurtak, I believe. It's a disaster waiting to happen and it will happen. In fact, if you look at the manhole on saint louis and howard, it was fixed about two weeks ago. Got a call, one man blew two tires because the manhole didn't move but the asphalt around it sunk. After they fixed it, it's sinking again. So we have a problem there. I already turned it into the city. I'm sure they will fix it sooner or later. I believe it is a County Road. Thank you.

Naya Young

10:48:59AM Anybody who -- knows I love a good park. I am excited to see this come to fruition. Excited for the ribbon cutting already. Thank you so much. This looks amazing. When I was at the Salcines Park ribbon cutting, the Mayor of West Tampa was talking about this project. I'm really excited to see this come to fruition. We had a motion and we had a second. We voted. Okay. We voted with our chair pro tem absent. We can move to agenda item number 4. Thank you.

Felix Nunez

10:49:45AM Felix Nu Ez, East Tampa CRA manager. Today I bring before you a motion to reprogram several items in our East Tampa budget. Discussed with and approved by the CAC to be brought forward to you as a board. There are three items we're looking to fund or move funds into. The first one is the gator building project, a long-standing project that's been trying to move forward in East Tampa and the residents are excited that we're funding it and moving forward with action on this project. We were waiting to get some other land assemblage around it to make it a usable parcel and we have that now. So we're starting to move forward with that project. We're requesting reallocation of $8,098,710 from multiple budget lines where funds are not being as useful as it can be in this project. The second reallocation is $510,000 into the down payment assistance program because we already used all of the money that's been allocated for the year in down payment assistance so we need to move this into it to meet the needs of the down payment program. The final reallocation is just something that was already done earlier in the fiscal year for the east land acquisition, $2,125,000 needed to be reallocated. So we're doing it now to cover for the land acquisition. The total impact moving about 10,727,000 of the budget around to make these allocations feasible. Do you have any questions?

Naya Young

10:51:35AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:51:36AM If you could put the line item up on the wolf, I think it's good for the public to see that. I'm grateful that we're adding money into down payment assistance but we're also hearing from the community that we desperately need tree trimming funds and more homeowner occupied rehab. How are we on expending those funds?

Felix Nunez

10:51:59AM Tree trimming program had not been approved for this fiscal year. For our may CAC meeting, we were going to discuss about that, putting it back into the budget. However the meeting wasn't held because there wasn't a quorum. It is on the June agenda to be discussed by the CAC to put funds into the tree trimming program for fiscal '27. For the rehab, we are at max capacity for that. Expended all those funds. Either allocated or already spoken for. We did find some funding to complete a couple of projects that needed to be completed from other budget lines.

Cedric McCray

10:52:46AM Specifically, if i'm not mistaken, 48 homes this fiscal year that we will be touching in East Tampa related to the Hrrp Program.

Lynn Hurtak

10:52:59AM Okay. I'm a little surprised to hear that the tree trimming was not in the budget because I know we talked about that during budget season.

Cedric McCray

10:53:06AM The Tree Trimming Program was rolled into the Housing Rehab and Renovation Program as a component. If there was work needed, if there was a roof and pending issue with trees or some endangerment, that was rolled into the program as a service.

Lynn Hurtak

10:53:23AM Okay.

Cedric McCray

10:53:25AM It is a component of the Rehab Program.

Lynn Hurtak

10:53:27AM -- subprogram.

Cedric McCray

10:53:28AM Correct.

Guido Maniscalco

10:53:29AM Move to approve this program change.

Naya Young

10:53:33AM Motion from board member Maniscalco.

Alan Clendenin

10:53:38AM I have discussion first.

Naya Young

10:53:40AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

10:53:42AM Question. I know there are folks in the audience who have concern about programming of funds, reworks from 36 to 24 months. I know we're going to have that discussion to try to get that reprogrammed to 24 months. Will this motion impact that?

Cedric McCray

10:53:58AM No. No. That will not be a part of it. I will be reaching out to you related to having a separate briefing on that specific item. I did get some correspondence and have conversations with some of your colleagues yesterday afternoon, based on e-mail that was received. So we'll be having that conversation. But the item is scheduled to be on the June 11 agenda.

Alan Clendenin

10:54:21AM I want to make sure this wasn't going to affect that. I'll second that motion.

Naya Young

10:54:25AM We have a motion from board member Maniscalco. Second from board member Clendenin. All in favor?

10:54:31AM Any opposed? All righty. Thank you.

10:54:37AM Moving right along, item 5. Our Team received a funding request for Ybor Harbor. I'm here with the applicant to do the presentation and then i'll come back and discuss about the conditions and what staff is recommending. Thank you. Do we have a way to connect this?

10:55:22AM How much time do you need, sir?

10:55:29AM Let's give him -- just put ten to be sure. We're here to talk about ybor harbor and --

10:55:40AM Start with your name, please. Thank you for your time this morning. I also want to spend just a minute to thank Courtney Orr, Cedric McCray, and Melisa Martinez. They did an excellent job of reviewing this application and working with us and the CAC Advisory Committee in depth to make sure this was a funding request that worked for the CRA and the Channel District. To talk about the request, we had originally requested $50 million in critical infrastructure funding. After working with the CRA Staff, we reduced that request to $35 million and that's a number that they felt they could comfortably support with all the other funding requests and priorities that that particular CRA has. These funds are to be used for critical infrastructure work, primarily marine seawall, roadway networks and undergrounding utilities within the ybor harbor site. Just to put that in perspective, we expect to spend about $200 million in total infrastructure funding. That's dollars both inside and outside of the CRA and both in hard and soft costs. Kind of an all-in number. We expected this to be a very catalytic public investment for every dollar expended for CRA funds, we expect to have actually $35 million level over $5 of private investments. This is also structured in a way that reduces or eliminates risk for the CRA in the City Of Tampa. It's structured on a reimbursement basis, so dollars are not expended by the CRA until work is completed and dollars paid out. It's reimbursement only. So there's no dollars put out up front. Also, all dollars are going to be going through a cdd, so not coming to the applicant or the development -- developer directly. I also want to point out that this is a net donor project, meaning this will generate significant incremental tax revenue. Currently the site today generates about $400,000 a year in ad valorem tax revenue for all taxing authorities. That's not very much for 32 acres in Tampa's urban core when you have small apartment sites generating a couple million dollars a year. We expect at full build-out, generate $47 million a year. That is the entire site, not just within the CRA, but it is significant. Just a little bit about the site today, the site is highly industrialized and historically been part of Tampa's maritime industry. It is currently home to International SHIP Repair, International SHIP Repair is working with Port Tampa Bay to identify a new site to move their SHIP building operations, and they are in active discussions with them right now. The site is highly industrialized and characterized by a lack of public access. There's no public access to the waterfront on this site. It's below the base flood elevation so very susceptible to coastal flooding. Also highly environmentally contaminated. Two active brownfields on this site that have been identified by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for cleanup with significant environmental contamination. To talk a little bit about the site plan, this was the site plan that was originally approved by the Tampa City Council as part of the zoning. It is about 19 blocks. Approximately 40% of this site is located within the Channel District CRA. Any funds spent by the Channel District CRA are only designated for geographic areas within the Channel District CRA boundaries. This is not going to anywhere other than with any Channel District CRA boundary itself. We believe the site plan will actively integrate ybor harbor with Ybor City and the Channel District and bring all those together at the waterfront, which is something that the City Of Tampa would really benefit from. To just talk a little bit about the future state, we expect that this project will generate a significant amount of jobs in tax revenue but it will also create upwards of 2500 new linear feet of waterfront access for the public. Over a thousand of that will be within the Channel District itself. We're also very proud to have committed 10% of all rental residences to rent restricted affordable housing. That is a key commitment that we've already made and we are proud to do that. That concludes our presentation. I'm happy to answer any specific questions that the board members may have. Happy to talk about specific numbers. I'm sure the staff is as well. Please let me know what I can address in more depth.

11:00:06AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:00:08AM No question. Just a statement. I think this is a transformational project and one of those projects we'll look back on and say this was a pivotal moment in Tampa's history to reclaim property that has been brownfield, left in disrepair. It is an amazing investment to be able to put a dollar and get that type of return on that investment. When you look at the anticipated TIF revenue. I fully support this project. I'm looking forward to my kids, my grandkids and everybody else to be able to enjoy this area.

Naya Young

11:00:41AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:00:42AM I just had a question about budget and what we have in that CRA available and the expenditures that we're looking at. Because it doesn't sound like we're going to be giving money out any time soon. It will just simply be held waiting for reimbursement. On your packages today on the second page, the staff recommendation, it does include, we met with the CAC Chair. We went through the budget, and that is the reason went from 50 million to 35. That is what the CRA was able to provide or to give on this request. We won't start the reimbursement until FY '29. It is a reimbursement grant, so they'll put their money up front to do the infrastructure to pay for it and then reimburse it as they complete it in phases. We also would like to recommend to approve this request with the conditions listed one through four listed in your memos.

11:01:43AM Could you put the memo up on the -- that would be great. Just to kind of remind the public and us. That the applicant is required to establish a cdd, and their plan is to do it by May of 2028. They have an agreement with the city about this development. And the applicant also would be required to provide the final ownership document. Receive an affidavit from the owner of the land and they are in the process of the purchase process. Reimbursement request commence at fiscal year '29 as I mentioned before. We have a deadline for approval of funding agreement by September of -- September 30, 2028. Reimbursement distribution shall not exceed the $7 million for fiscal year.

11:02:38AM That's great. That's wonderful. In the future, just because we're kind of just beginning the special project funding requests which is why i'm asking so many questions, it would be great to also see what the budget is, how much this takes out of it, where it's coming from just again for the public. We see it in documents, but just make it very clear and visible so we can see that by taking this we have the money to do it and so on and so forth.

11:03:05AM Appreciate that.

Naya Young

11:03:07AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:03:09AM Just making sure so the applicant has signed off on all the conditions and agreements?

11:03:15AM For the record, making sure we're good.

Guido Maniscalco

11:03:17AM Move to approve --

Naya Young

11:03:20AM I have a question. Just for the -- on the future state, how did you get to the number of committed affordable housing, 10%? That is a function of the zoning and we've already committed to that. We committed to 10% of all rental residences built within that pda zoning area committed to rent restricted affordable housing. Between 80% and 120 percent of AMI and that's a function of our zoning. That is a commitment we have already made. It's not predicated on this funding but something we're very --

11:03:59AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:03:59AM Generally, that is done when they want a bonus. 10% affordable housing is what we have now. The new comp plan would allow that to go to hundred percent. Right now, our cap is ten. That's why we're trying to move it.

Naya Young

11:04:17AM I was wondering, 10%, what about, you know, a little bit more. Got it.

Charlie Miranda

11:04:26AM You said about AMI. Which AMI? 80 up to 120 -- that is the commitment. That was part of what City Council, as board member Hurtak clarified, that's part of the commitment we made as part of our zoning and that's what City Council has signed off on.

Naya Young

11:04:49AM Any other comments?

Guido Maniscalco

11:04:52AM I made the motion.

Naya Young

11:04:53AM We have a motion to approve by board member Maniscalco. A second from board member Clendenin. All in favor? Any opposed? All righty. Thank you very much. We are moving to item number 6.

Felix Nunez

11:05:18AM Felix Nu Ez, East Tampa CRA manager. Today, we are going to request board approval to release an RFQ for the gator building site. It is for assessments --

Naya Young

11:05:34AM Could Somebody please silence their phone? Please make sure you silence your phones and mobile devices.

Felix Nunez

11:05:43AM RFQ is for assessment of the parcel, which you can see here, laid out as a parcel. Now doing an assessment to determine the feasibility for what can really go on that site that will be beneficial for the community as well as viable long term. In that assessment, heavy community engagement is part of the assessment to determine from the community what they want to see. Feasibility is great. What about the community. We have to make sure the two come together. This assessment will take care of all of that. We hope the final result of the RFQ is ready for us to move forward with design-build phase with some concepts and ideas after having done the assessment. There was a presentation, but I don't think I need to go through it or would you prefer I go through it?

Naya Young

11:06:42AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:06:45AM I just wanted to go back to the map to orient people to where it is. Just in the future, if you could have the streets. Can you tell us which streets they are just so we are aware about where we are.

Cedric McCray

11:07:02AM To the North Is Lake Avenue, and to the west is north 22nd street.

Lynn Hurtak

11:07:09AM This is a corner of 22nd and lake. This is a very pivotal piece of property. I'm very -- I want to say thank you. Part of the postponement of this was the fact that we were able to acquire a couple more parcels. So really excited. I'm very excited, and I thought it was very timely that some of the focus is on the youth and what we can do with this property to engage the younger parts of our community. So I really look forward to hearing what the public has to say about it. But i'm happy to hear that's already a plan and a desire because that's exactly what we need. I really look forward to this. Thank you so much.

Naya Young

11:07:52AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:07:53AM I'm happy that we're doing a feasibility assessment on this parcel. My vision of this was like a little mini-supermarket and some retail space, little downtown area. But, of course, you can't fit a square peg in a round hole. Having a feasibility study is the appropriate mechanism to move forward. I appreciate staff bringing this forward. I would move the authorization.

Naya Young

11:08:22AM I'm excited to see this. I know we have all heard gator building. So to see this move forward, I think this is really good and great for the community. I'm looking forward to seeing more projects within our East Tampa CRA moving forward. We have a motion by board member Clendenin and a second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor?

11:08:45AM All righty.

11:08:47AM Okay. We received and filed number 7. We took off 8.

Luis Viera

11:08:57AM May I say something on number 8? I'm sorry. I mean 9. I apologize.

Naya Young

11:09:03AM We're on 9 now.

Luis Viera

11:09:07AM Sorry, my bad.

Naya Young

11:09:09AM Go ahead, Director Mccray.

Cedric McCray

11:09:11AM Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director. At board member Viera's request, we did have a meeting with the parks and rec director and other staff related to funding disability equipment and installation. It was to our surprise that Ms. Clay wanted to make a donation in the amount of $25,000 for the installation and purchase of said equipment. So it essentially took us as the CRA out because there was not a financial component to it. Parks and rec staff was going to do a feasibility study to find a location within the city to -- for the placement where it could be used and best needed. I did have a conversation with the director late Monday afternoon, and they decided on de soto park, which is outside of the CRA. South Of Highway 60 in the Palmetto Beach area. But the donation was going to go to friends of the parks and then the work will begin. I don't have an exact timeline on when that will start but I just got this information earlier this week.

Luis Viera

11:10:26AM Thank you. Mr. Mccray, thank you again. We always appreciate you. I'm glad to see this. This is a foundation named after Karen's late son Michael Phillips that when he passed she started. The cause of michael's life was social justice and human dignity. And that included people with disabilities, whether intellectual or physical. I'm so glad to see this forward, and we'll all look forward to it. The city is doing everything they can. It's funny with Karen, we have the special needs all abilities internship is now named Michael Phillips internship and now we'll have this. It's a small gesture to what moms and dads do in raising their kids and doing everything they can to make it work for kids who have special needs. We appreciate you, sir. Thank you very much. Want to give a shout-out to Karen who may be watching, busy, but she's one of our favorite people and we all love her a lot. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:11:28AM Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

11:11:29AM No.

Alan Clendenin

11:11:31AM On the same line, we talk about what Tampa is, and we're a city that is made up of all different types of folks from different types of backgrounds, different components. We come together as a community and including the disability community. I'm proud that council member Viera has been such a champion of the causes along with my friend Karen Clay. That when a child shows up at a playground or shows up anywhere in the City Of Tampa, they should feel that they belong there. I think that this is something -- actually start tearing up thinking about it. A kid that shows up in places like this, they should feel like this Is My Place, too. I'm glad that the city and the CRA, that this continues to be a focus. I think kids in our community should always be our focus. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:12:20AM I had the opportunity to visit de soto park when I went to -- I did a tour of Palmetto Beach with the Neighborhood Association. Very nice park. Very beautiful park. I think this is going to be a great addition and also really lovely community as well. There were actually kids already playing at the park. So I think this is going to be really awesome. Thank you all. And thank you to the Michael Phillips Foundation and to Ms. Karen Clay and for Mr. Viera for being a champion. Any other comments? Thank you very much. Now we are moving to required approvals. Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:13:06AM I move to approve items 10 and 13.

Alan Clendenin

11:13:13AM I have a question. I was gone for the briefing. Did we resolve the issue about neighborhood nomenclature on the signs?

Lynn Hurtak

11:13:22AM Yes. That is still being contested. Neighborhood lines are a very particular thing. That will have to be dealt with between Ms. Mcgregor's office and the chair.

Alan Clendenin

11:13:35AM Very good.

Lynn Hurtak

11:13:36AM It doesn't mean we can't fund it later, but it's -- at least that's what I understood in my briefing.

Naya Young

11:13:50AM We pulled 11 and 12. We have a motion by board member Hurtak and second from board member Maniscalco for 10 and 13. Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

11:14:06AM I do want to speak on 13, if I may. I've been in discussions with staff. When I was walking down, I know Councilman Maniscalco often walks downtown and I said, man, that is a great idea. I was walking around our beautiful riverwalk and I happened to run into some of the way-finding signs over in our downtown area, and if you all know near, in the riverwalk, we have what is the Equal Justice Initiative marker there which deals with the lynching in 1934 of Robert Johnson who has lynched I believe January 30 of that year, if I recall. It is a very powerful marker that is especially powerful and very relevant today in 2026. So I am -- I just want to say, obviously, I support this, but we should have that marker included in the way-finding signs for downtown. Maybe i'll make a motion to that regard, but that should be, because I was looking at them there. It's there. Again, open and obvious as to what it is. I think that people ought to know we're the kind of city that in the year 2026, in the State of Florida, that we're proud to talk about that kind of history. Proud to have that dialogue and that we direct people to take a look at that. Obviously, I support this but I may be making a motion in that regard later. But thank you.

Naya Young

11:15:31AM Thank you. We voted? No. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Now we go to items 11 and 12. This is for item 11. Receive funding request for the renovations to the dr. Walter l. Smith library and museum renovations. Here we have the applicant to do a presentation and i'll come back and speak on our recommendation.

11:16:17AM Board member Miranda, did you want to speak after the presentation? Hello, sir. How much time do you think you need?

11:16:33AM I'll give you ten minutes.

11:16:38AM Start with your name, please. Thank you for the CRA Staff. Thank you for the community. If you will, please stand, those folks who came to support, please stand.

11:16:52AM Dr. Smith, Dr. Walter Smith, can you give us your name first, please. President and CEO of the Doctor Walter L. Smith library and museum. I am standing before you today as the Son Of Dr. Walter L. Smith who was the founder and established this facility back in 2004. Thank you very much, you all. This is a long time coming. I want to acknowledge first of all the presence of my family, my wife, sister, mother, brother, all here. I can't tell you how proud I am of this opportunity, this moment right now. Dr. Smith spent most of his life fighting for second chances. Most of his career. He fought against Jim Crow. Fought against apartheid. He established educational facilities and educational opportunities for people who would not have the same education opportunities. He had that same second chance as one who had to run from lynch mob as high school drop-out who came back and joined the military and went on to Community College, Gibbs Community College right here across the Bridge In St. Petersburg, Florida. Want to acknowledge the fact that there are children, like the one that came here today, who was seeking a second opportunity that should not be condemned, to have an opportunity. This opportunity has been given Through The Dr. Walter L. Smith library. There is precedence for that and have people who have been through the mill, who had hard times. We stopped things as bad as rape. We stopped things as bad as murder. We stopped things that were terrible from happening. And we help people become better citizens. I'll take a moment and step aside and let my administrator, Russell Spears, take over with a presentation. Thank you, Walter. Appreciate you.

11:19:22AM Name, please, sir. Name is Russell Spears, administrator for the Dr. Walter L. Smith Library. Again, would like to say CRA Staff and for the community come out to support us. This is a tremendous project. In opening, West Tampa has historical cultural landmark that once served as center of education, culture, and community leadership. Today, the property sits storm damaged and underutilized. This project restores the landmark and reactivates it as a long-term community asset for West Tampa. Currently, the problem that we have, without intervention this property will continue to deteriorate, contributing to a corridor of blight, reduction in neighborhood activity, and continued underutilization of historical significant site. Our opportunity is larger than just rehabilitation alone. This project activates a legacy property as a community anchor, supporting education, culture, preservation and local economic activities. We propose a solution. This project transforms the structure into a community centered library and cultural hub supporting education, programming, exhibits, digital archives, and local entrepreneurship. As you can see, our key outcomes are corridor activation, support for small businesses, cultural programming, code compliance, and legacy restoration. The impact that we're driving toward for this project is to align directly with CRA priorities, through blight remediation, educational programming, cultural preservation, and small business activation, this facility is expected to support year-round community programming and neighborhood engagement activities. Our proof, this project is not conceptual. It is shovel ready. We have a general contractor who is on board, ready to move this project forward. The preliminary design work, procurement coordination, and redevelopment Planning activities have already been initiated. This allows the project to move quickly upon funding approval. So this is our scope. The project is limited to rehabilitation and stabilization activities, including storm damage repair, structural improvement, life safety upgrades, and code compliance measures necessary for public use activation. Our budget originally was $1.6 Million. We're requesting 1.19 Million from CRA. And we have private match and income funds -- not funds, but expenditures of $407,000 currently. The CRA investment represents approximately 74% of the total project cost. This project leverages additional private, philanthropic, and in-kind support contributions, maximizing public impact while reducing long-term redevelopment risk. This project was intensely structured to align with CRA redevelopment objectives and rehabilitation guidelines. The scope is limited to stabilization, storm recovery, code compliance, and public use activation of an existing historical structure. This is our timeline. The project is structured to -- structured clearly through phases to allow effective execution, accountability, and timely activation upon funding approval. In closing, we're requesting the CRA's partnership to restore historical West Tampa landmark and reactivate it as a long-term center of education, culture, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. We greatly appreciate the opportunity and the time. We are grateful for CRA Staff for assisting us in this process, and we thank you very much for the opportunity to present. Thank you very much. I am open to questions at this time.

11:24:42AM We have Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

11:24:47AM Yes. Of the CRA Staff. Ms. Martinez, they are asking for $1.192 Million. What was the recommendation from your end? That requires a 50% match when we're giving funds away -- providing funds.

11:25:13AM What did the CAC say?

11:25:19AM After we're done, I would like to make a motion for the entire amount, 1.192. Let me tell you why. I got to Meet Dr. Smith in 2019. My only regret was not getting to know him sooner. If you hear his story, what he did locally at the famu level, at the international level, because apartheid was mentioned as well, but when we look at CRAs and their purpose, there are a lot of things. It could be infrastructure, it could be cultural, it could be something like this, which is a community asset. It's educational. It would be a beacon for the community to bring young people, people that live in the community that can walk right over there. It's not just the Name Dr. Walter Smith and his legacy. It is his continued legacy of giving back to this community. I've been by that house so many times -- you know, the library, not the house, the library and what it could be. If you look at the renderings, it is beautiful. It's a place that people will be proud of. In an historic area of Tampa, old West Tampa, essentially, but this is what we should be investing in. I wish we had more projects like this. We do get great projects that come through the CRA. This specifically, you honor the legacy of an important individual. But you're investing in the future and in our youth and in the community. I want to see this done. I'm excited. I know that the hurricane did do significant damage, and thankfully the house is standing. But it's going to be even more beautiful. With the help of the CRA and their match, we'll get this done. I'm excited. I move for the full funding request of $1,192,418.

Naya Young

11:27:02AM Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

11:27:09AM I'll second and support that. Glad, Councilman Maniscalco, that you are doing that, because it is the right thing to do. This is a wonderful project. For our friend walter, i'm touched on this project on many levels. But the number one part that i'm touched on is that you as a son, with your dad. I'm going to stop saying because i'll start crying. It's true. You love your dad. I'll end that there. There is another big thing, obviously, that towers with this, Tampa Black history, and that we don't acknowledge it nearly as much as we should. And this is a good step in that direction that names like Robert Saunders or Francisco Rodriguez, mart maceo, Garland Stuart, Arthenia Joyner, Delano Stewart and so many other people mattered to us so much. That Certainly Includes Dr. Smith. You take a look at why folks are here, they are here because they support your family, because they support the Legacy Of Dr. Walter Smith. But I like to feel that one of the reasons there's such great support for the project in Tampa is because of a larger issue. We're in the year 2026. We can't ignore the world we live in. We can't ignore the relevancy of the Legacy Of Dr. Walter Smith. We can't ignore the Florida that we're in, the united states that we're in in 2026, and i'll just say this, that in a time when we know of things like alligator alcatraz, the legacy of human Rights Of Dr. Walter Smith matters more today than anytime in recent History Because Dr. Smith was about civil rights for african americans and human rights for everybody. Regardless of who you are. And that'S What This Place is going to stand for. Be remiss speaking about famu if we didn't mention a woman coming up on June 10 left us, Gwen Henderson, who was a proud rattler. That woman was a rattler. Boy, I remember, she was here During The Street renaming, and she would have loved to have been here. That's it. I'm letting my latin side take over. Crying too much. I'll stop. Thank you guys very much. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:29:38AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:29:38AM Yes, absolutely. One, I apologize this has taken so long. I would have loved to have seen this project move a little quicker. Sometimes the wheels of government creek along. I agree with Councilman Maniscalco and I fully support fully funding this. One of the things I want to emphasize and why this is so important to fund, we talk about the legacy of your father, which is absolutely incredible. I think we all admire your efforts, Walter, to continue to be an advocate, to keep his legacy alive and bring it to 2026 and beyond for people that are living in this community. His contribution is not just to the City Of Tampa, the State of Florida, the United States of America, but the world. He's left a mark that will live forever and be able to Have This Place-making in tribute to him is extraordinarily important to our generation and the generations that will follow us in the City Of Tampa. Even more than that, this is a place for the community. It's a place for the community to gather. A central location for people to show up and, hey, break bread on a Sunday, be able to come and meet with neighbors and to talk. And hopefully this type of activity is what will move us forward and beyond this moment in history that Councilman Viera just discussed of what's happening right now that we all kind of just hunkering down and hoping to get passed. This type of an initiative is important to move forward for the City Of Tampa and the Legacy Of Dr. Walter smith. I'm really happy that we got here today and that we can move this project forward.

Naya Young

11:31:32AM Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

11:31:33AM Thank you very much, Madam Chair. When you look back in history at the time that Your Father did this, it was nearly impossible. But he succeeded because he was not a quicker. He succeeded because he wanted to do better, not only for himself but for his family and for the whole generation behind him that he saw what was going on. Very few people have that fire in them to do it. I don't think I could have done that. I'll be honest with you. I don't think anyone in the audience could have done that. I'm not here to tell the audience you can't do it. But you have to have that desire to keep marching forward no matter what happens, no matter how many times you fell, pick yourself up and say I can do this. Not too many human beings can take that kind of mental beating. Your Father deserves all the accolades he's getting and maybe more. Congratulations for you being his son.

Naya Young

11:32:26AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:32:27AM Thank you very much. This historic rehab, this is what the CRAs are for. Historic rehab, bringing back to life something that was there that mattered. I mean, the library was such an important part of West Tampa. It has come under disrepair. This is literally what the CRAs are for. This is a very exciting thing. I'll disagree with board member Clendenin. This is not a time to hunker down and wait out. This is not that time. This time is to come forward and to speak out. It's why I voted against the EBO reclassification because that's important. Equal business opportunity is important. It's something that our community values. To say we'll hunker down from that because we're afraid of the federal government or the state government, where there aren't actually Laws In Place, but people's assumptions, is just not okay. In doing this and providing this money, we're helping to bring that community conversation forward to continue to speak out. I'm really happy about this project. Of course, fully supporting fully funding it. Again, i'll come back to the process of the special funding request. One of the things I would really love to see in these going forward is a site plan. I think the site plan allows people to kind of get a vision of what -- especially because they said they already had it. Being able to see that and letting the community see what is coming. The visual renderings of the outside are very nice. But what is that going to look like on the inside? It's not a very big space. I want to be able to visualize how that space is used and the community does as well. Additionally, i'll go back to the budget. In fact, making sure that when this comes in front of us we see where this is coming from in the line item. We see where the budget shows what we have left, what we're working with, and how this is going to be parcels out. I believe it's over a few year term. But again, just being able to see that as this board looks at these new special project funding requests, I think will really help. This is, again, support this project, but i'm just talking about kind of the nuts and bolts of what I'D like to see as this goes forward. It is a little repetitive to the earlier one, but just really giving us a little bit of a visual, very excited about this.

Naya Young

11:34:58AM I'll do last. You can go ahead.

Luis Viera

11:35:01AM I was going to say, if I may, for the comment made about, and I don't speak on behalf of Councilman Clendenin, but in terms of fighting for values that are aggressively against the stuff that we're seeing now, i'll say for my behalf, Councilman Clendenin does more in a month than I have done in ten years politically.

Lynn Hurtak

11:35:21AM I apologize. I was not speaking against Councilman Clendenin at all. He I believe knows that. No, I just had to comment on it because he said it. I just think our community really does believe in the power of all of us.

Naya Young

11:35:40AM I for one am very excited. I think this is going to be an awesome project. Mr. Smith, i've heard stories about you and all the work that you have done from my father and my uncles. I think this is going to be an awesome project and also just seeing what's happening in West Tampa, I think this is going to be a great addition. I'm really looking forward to it. Just with telling the stories and the Black history within Tampa, we have ashley that comes every meeting and gives us a little Black history fact. It's no secret that there is a lot of Black history all throughout Tampa. To be able to have a place where we can go and get even more history and more teachings I think is extremely important. So thank you for keeping with this and making sure your dad's legacy is living on. I think it's going to be awesome. We had a motion and a second. Motion from board member -- I wrote it down. We have a motion from board member Maniscalco. We had a second from board member Viera to fund the full CRA request of $1,192,418 for the Dr. Walter L. Smith library and museum renovations. All in favor? All opposed? -- any opposed? Okay. All righty. Congratulations. [ applause ] it's okay. We can clap for that one. I won't bang the gavel on that one. We can clap for that one. Four remainder funding request applications from the previous grant policy, now that we're reviewing it, this was the last one. So done. Thank you.

11:37:36AM All right. And we are at agenda item number 12. Felix Nu Ez, Drew Park CRA district manager. I'm bringing to you today reprogramming for FY '26 for Drew Park as well. For this reprogramming, we are proposing to bring -- reallocating funds of $6,029,999 for multiple project lines to cover related infrastructure work that's been very important to the Drew Park CAC. We've been able to find enough funding within this fiscal year and next fiscal year to move forward the possibility projects to a final stage. We also will be Planning for the final phase of the project to be funded over two more years. We're working on building the budget for that year. We're reallocating 264,000 from the housing rehab and renovation program to the infill housing program. We feel those funds would be better utilized in the infill project in Drew Park. We are reallocating 1.9 Million to the unit creation and conversion project. Working together to get some housing built in Drew Park. Those are the three items we're proposing for total 8,194,000 reallocated within the budget of Drew Park. Budget remains unchanged. Still at 18 million. But now we have more projects funded and ready to move forward with this reallocation. Do we have any questions or concerns?

Lynn Hurtak

11:39:47AM Thank you. How much of this will be going toward -- well, there you go. The 6 million for the mobility sidewalk connectivity and safety improvements. Knowing that Drew Park was only able to fund a portion of what they wanted to do, how much is left in that mobility sidewalk connectivity and safety improvement that they want to do that we are not able to fund right now. The project into one final project, and we're only missing phase three of Crest Avenue is the only thing we're leaving out of this project right now. The remaining of that I don't have in front of me. It's about $4 million left. And we're working toward building that over the next few years. We're building the plans to 60% for that last phase, so it's ready to go as soon as we have the funding ready.

11:40:44AM Wonderful. I just wanted to say that this really is going toward exactly what the CAC is asking for and has been working toward, but we are still 4 million behind. I just wanted to make sure that we acknowledge that.

Naya Young

11:41:01AM We have a motion from board member Miranda, second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? All righty.

11:41:17AM Do we have any new business, Board Member Clendenin?

Alan Clendenin

11:41:30AM I want to understand from staff the Urban Reworx. What is the plan to get that reprogrammed 24 months as opposed to 36?

Cedric McCray

11:41:40AM Good morning, again, Cedric McCray, Tampa CRA director. We're in correspondence and we've had ongoing meetings with the representation from Urban Reworx, Mr. Bereday, their attorney and team. We did have a call earlier this week. Traditionally, what we've done is funding for the project for three years. They are requesting, because of the time frame of construction and financing implications to reduce that to two years. It was my intention to have individual briefings with you all to kind of discuss that and see what the pleasure of the board might be. And then the next step we will have it on the agenda for the June 11 meeting and hopefully we will be able to come to some consensus with board direction.

Alan Clendenin

11:42:31AM The Board obviously --

Naya Young

11:42:34AM Have one more.

Lynn Hurtak

11:42:38AM I want to hear. I need to know budget. I am waiting for the meeting. Like, we can't just unilaterally move this money when we don't know what else is being funded. I really do think we need the time to have the individual briefing. It's not like we can change it right now anyway.

Alan Clendenin

11:42:57AM I was going to say is I request that staff prepare a report with the goal of trying to get to 24 months, and then he could give us a report about that. I would like to move that staff come back to council or submit a report to council within two weeks, either verbal or written, to each Councilperson about reprogramming to be able to provide for the financing over 24 months. Again the irony of this, I wasn't a huge supporter of the project, but the board has spoke in support of the project and we want to move forward. If this Is The Way to move it forward, then let's get it done.

Naya Young

11:43:43AM I have a motion from Councilman Clendenin. A second from Councilman Maniscalco. Discussion?

Lynn Hurtak

11:43:49AM First of all, we're not going to be able to do anything on it until June anyway as a CRA. But the thing that I am concerned about is, again, what I mentioned twice already today is when these projects come in front of us, we need to look at the budget. We need to see what's coming forward. This is something that this board talked about over and over again. That's what I want to see. If you have that motion, I also want attached a budget to see how that money, what are we not able to fund because of that. That is what we all talked about. We've all talked about the fact --

Alan Clendenin

11:44:26AM I'll accept that friendly amendment.

Lynn Hurtak

11:44:29AM It's incredibly important to me especially because East Tampa right now it's talking about a CRA that doesn't have money. It's East Tampa, because we have allocated it. I just really want to make sure that we are prepared for what's coming. And we just have more requests in East Tampa than we have in any other CRA.

Alan Clendenin

11:44:52AM The justification for the request is one. Again, board's pleasure to move this project forward, if moving that project forward is the difference between 24 and 36 months, I think it is a de minimis request even if it means something else is delayed 12 months. Done or not done. I think the commitment is to fund it, whether it is 24 or 36. If they need the funding to get it accomplished in 24, I think it is a reasonable request.

Lynn Hurtak

11:45:18AM However, what about the next person who comes for 24 and the next person who comes for 24? I'm just saying, we just approved $35 million, but it's every 7 million. 7 million every five years. So that's what i'm saying. Like, if we have a rule, we need to make sure what the rule is, and that we're following it, and what the implications of the rule are, which is why I want the budget.

Naya Young

11:45:42AM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

11:45:42AM Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. I'll be supporting this enthusiastically because, like Councilman Clendenin said, potentially without the 24 months this could fatally wound the project if we want this to move forward, we have to make a way forward. This does not appropriate the money inasmuch as it begins the potential process for the aspiration of doing that. This is a project that is 100% aligned with, that's what CRAs are for. I'll gladly support it.

Charlie Miranda

11:46:17AM I'm not opposed to everything i've heard. You never know what happens in 12 months, 24 months, 36 months Down The Road. You have to be very cautious of the times we're in in this country. Have it today, don't have to today, what do you have tomorrow to carry over to do something else? I'll support what board member Hurtak said. It be added on to the comments that Mr. Clendenin said.

Alan Clendenin

11:46:44AM I accept that friendly.

Naya Young

11:46:46AM We have a motion with the amendment from Board Member Hurtak to add -- to attach the budget. Motion from Councilman Clendenin, second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Any more new business, Councilman Clendenin? I'll get used to it. Whatever you are. [ laughter ] Board Member Viera.

Luis Viera

11:47:16AM Yes, sir. By the way, for that, I am in talks, speaking of small concert venues, with the Folks at Forest Hills, karaoke around July. It's fun. It's awesome. [ laughter ]

Alan Clendenin

11:47:42AM What he does cannot be defined as singing.

Luis Viera

11:47:46AM I'm a poor man's -- a couple of things I wanted to mention, number one, we had Mr. Tom Degeorge here. He wears his heart on his sleeve on so many things. I didn't really get to know him until I went to a concert for Chuck Ragan at Crowbar, and we had a good talk. Council, how do you feel about having a CRA discussion on preservation and assistance for in Every Way we can, maybe do it under City Council, but particularly for our small concert venues in Ybor City. Do you all think CRA is the Best Place to have it?

Lynn Hurtak

11:48:29AM Yes.

Naya Young

11:48:31AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:48:33AM I would say yes only because that's where we have the money. Let's just be honest. It is infrastructure of some sort. If we find out through our conversation that it is something we cannot fund in the CRA, then we can continue the conversation as City Council. I think it is an Appropriate Place to begin the conversation.

Alan Clendenin

11:48:52AM I wouldn't restrict it. Cultural Arts, you talk about small play houses and things, I think small venue Cultural Arts assets would be more appropriate to classify it as.

Lynn Hurtak

11:49:05AM It may or may not work. Great timing. Brenda Thrower, ybor CRA manager. We are in the process of updating the plan, and you will all be getting interviews with our consultant on stakeholder interviews. So one of the things we just need to have, has to be in the plan in order to fund it. Great timing. Couldn't be better. It will be this summer coming up that we're working with the community right now. We just need to add that into the plan. Right now, art is not even in the plan. We need to update that. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

11:49:42AM Why that's important, three years ago when I came on council, Talking About Place-making in East Tampa, I have been a huge advocate of creating some type of artist space in East Tampa for focusing on Black artists. Little coffee shops, Black artist space, one of these things -- place making, maybe talk about the feasibility of the gator property, incorporating something like that in there. I think that is an important area. We could replicate that in other areas of the city in West Tampa or with latin or Hispanic. What would that be in New Tampa? I don't know. We have such a cultural rich history in the City Of Tampa and be able to have these small -- we don't have to talk large scale. Small scale projects I think would really help with the fabric of the community.

Luis Viera

11:50:35AM Do you think a discussion on that would be right for July, the July meeting? When do you all think is good?

Cedric McCray

11:50:44AM July meeting would be laser focused on budget for FY '27. I would suggest maybe august/september time frame.

Luis Viera

11:50:53AM I'm okay with august. That's my motion, if I may. I do want to focus though on small concert venues. We can have a larger discussion on the arts and all that stuff. I'm great with that. So long as that's understood, also talking a lot about concerts and things like that. I would also request, obviously, that staff consultant with Mr. Degeorge on that because he is a passionate face of that. That's my motion, if I may.

Naya Young

11:51:28AM Motion from board member Viera. A second from board member Clendenin.

Charlie Miranda

11:51:37AM In fact, going along the same lines, growing up in Ybor City, the Cuban Club had dances, all kind of stuff like that. They had floors, centro asturiano had four floors. During the holiday for new year's, three or four different bands. All of them would. The Cuban Club had it, Italian Club, centro had it. I don't know if they are still available. It changed a little bit. Movie theater there and everything else. I remember walking with my Grandmother because she was -- I had to go with her because I was the oldest grandson. I would walk her to see the movies. Nine months I thought I was mexican. All we saw were mexican movies. Hell, I must be a mexican. It was a wonderful time to go. I learned a lot of my spanish listening to the movies.

Alan Clendenin

11:52:33AM Imagine something like this in Sulphur Springs.

Charlie Miranda

11:52:36AM Sulphur Springs had their own theater.

Naya Young

11:52:38AM The Springs Theater, which there are a Couple that is working, they have been working on renovating it for quite some time.

Luis Viera

11:52:51AM Thank you, ma'am. I would ask that we also ask Mr. Degeorge to specifically present and speak, give him five minutes, ten minutes, whatever, again, in recognition of his role. I hold him in regard.

Naya Young

11:53:07AM We did a motion, second and approve. That's it?

Luis Viera

11:53:11AM Yes, ma'am, in terms of that.

Naya Young

11:53:14AM I thought we voted. We had a motion from Councilman Viera. We had a second from board member Clendenin. All in favor? Any opposed?

Luis Viera

11:53:28AM They are not motions, but there are things we ought to keep our eyes on. Number one, folks from the community come and talk to us about mount zion. I would love to see -- i'm not going to motion for this because it's your district ma'am and I want to be deferential and -- I still observe those boundaries or whatever, especially on something like mount zion. I'D love to see that. If we can make a way for that, ma'am, whether, Weather Service, city, CRA, that would be great. Number two, I was going to do a motion but I think City Council is probably more appropriate, with the rays. I'm having a lot of talks with them that if this does go through, seeing space for a police substation presence and room for a Tampa fire presence.

Lynn Hurtak

11:54:24AM I hate to say this but that's -- I guess it is CRA.

Luis Viera

11:54:29AM I was going to say that i'm going to talk about that this evening. It is CRA, but yet it's not. Just something i'll be bringing up tonight. That's all. Thank you very much, council.

Naya Young

11:54:42AM Director McCray, you wanted to add to that.

Cedric McCray

11:54:45AM Good morning again. As most all of you are aware at the invitation of the council chair, I was able to present some information on behalf of the Drew Park CRA. And there is a memorandum of understanding that is being drafted. I'm going to ask Attorney Shepard, he has been having conversations with the City Legal Department related to that. I'll allow him to say a few words to update the board, you as the CRA Board. Attorney Shepard.

Cliff Shepard

11:55:16AM Thank you, guys. I appreciate it. I won't be long because I know we all want to leave. I will tell you that the -- has been negotiated to almost conclusion. And what I really wanted to share with you about it is that there will need to be a series of meetings, one of which I believe is already scheduled for council on the 21st or is being scheduled. This is according to Mr. Steady who I spoke to before this meeting. And this will be either a simultaneous or a subsequent, i'm not sure which, CRA meeting to go into the more detailed discussions of the Loi and where it sits and whether or not there's general agreement to proceed or not. All of those things are still obviously within your province. The time to bring it forward is coming up rapidly. I want to make sure I let you know about that. I don't have dates in mind. One of the things that we discussed this morning, Mr. Steady and I discussed this morning is timing. And there isn't -- seven day notice to put this body on joint CRA council track with the meeting already scheduled for the 21st so i'm told. I do want to bring that to your attention because that is something from a scheduling perspective apparently will be headed in your direction.

Naya Young

11:56:44AM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:56:47AM So what you're saying is -- it's really hard to hear you. You are kind of tinny. What you're saying is that you are trying to hold a second CRA meeting in conjunction on the 21st? That doesn't give us the two-week notice period.

Cliff Shepard

11:57:07AM That is what I said. I apologize. I don't know what's going on with the microphone if you're not hearing me. The answer is there is a City Council meeting scheduled on the 21st, and we've determined -- I say we, talking about myself and your city attorney -- that that will not accommodate enough time to notice a CRA meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

11:57:26AM Yes. Okay.

Cliff Shepard

11:57:28AM There will be a need to schedule a CRA meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

11:57:32AM Okay. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:57:36AM Any other questions? Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:57:39AM So, Mr. Shepard, is your ask -- or is the discussion that you've had with our city attorney that we should be scheduling another CRA meeting before the end of the month?

Cliff Shepard

11:57:53AM I would characterize our conversation as putting this on your radar since I don't have the authority to ask you to schedule literally anything. If you're not hearing me, I don't know what I can do on my end to fix that. According to my microphone bar, you're All The Way to the end.

Alan Clendenin

11:58:20AM Is there anything preventing us -- we have a workshop scheduled --

Lynn Hurtak

11:58:26AM It is a very important workshop, and it's full.

Alan Clendenin

11:58:32AM Only other opportunity would be to schedule a special meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

11:58:37AM My calendar is full. That's only seven days from now. It is required of two weeks.

Alan Clendenin

11:58:47AM Is that a council rule or state requirement for notification? What is the legal notification for a meeting, Mr. Shepard?

Cliff Shepard

11:58:55AM According to Mr. Steady, again, i'm relying on him because the call literally happened as this meeting was beginning, is seven days. If you count the days, we wouldn't have enough to do it at the same time as you are currently scheduled council meeting on the 21st. But it would need to be at least according to him and to accommodate the rays' schedule to the extent that is a concern, I don't want to presume anything here, but it would be --

Alan Clendenin

11:59:23AM 21st is crazy busy. Really, really, really busy for us. Without having a long day or scheduling a night meeting that night, I think, on the 21st, CRA meeting, I think we'd have to look at the 26 or 27.

Lynn Hurtak

11:59:54AM I've got commitments. Ms. Scharf, if you want to bring me my phones, i'll take a look.

Alan Clendenin

12:00:07PM What about a night meeting on the 21st.

Naya Young

12:00:10PM No, that will be too long. That will be a long day. The 27th.

Lynn Hurtak

12:00:21PM He's unavailable the 27th, Viera is.

Luis Viera

12:00:32PM How about June 1st?

Alan Clendenin

12:00:41PM This is the first we're hearing of it. Mr. Shepard, with the conversation you've had with Scott Steady, is this something that would be -- we could basically do notice a council meeting and CRA meeting at the same time and knock out both businesses at the same time, at the same meeting?

Cliff Shepard

12:01:01PM From my perspective, the answer is yes. But I don't want to speak for Mr. Steady, but, yes, you could do this at a joint meeting at a date that works for everybody. What i'm unaware of, I know there are some deadlines for the rays, but I don't know exactly what those are. Whether it needs to be before June 15 or before June 1st, those things i'm unaware of. Literally all I was asked to do was put it on your radar that we're going to be needing a meeting and soon, and whether or not -- I assume the idea was to go through discussions with Mr. Steady, Mr. Mccray, and Then Circle back to you all and see what could be noticed in a Timely Way. Again, I would love to tell you, here are the rays' deadlines internally but I don't know them.

Naya Young

12:01:55PM We'll all work with our aides and calendars and get back to a date. Do we have to do it right now?

Alan Clendenin

12:02:04PM We don't have another CRA meeting to add another meeting. So we have to do it during this meeting.

Naya Young

12:02:11PM We need to have it before when? What are we doing?

Guido Maniscalco

12:02:25PM Am I good June 1st?

Lynn Hurtak

12:02:30PM I am not free on June 1st. I don't think i'll even be in town.

Naya Young

12:02:48PM Let's take a step back. First of all, I can barely here and we're trying to figure out what's happening. Please break it down to us. What is the meeting for? Why do we need to have it and is there a specific time of when we need to have the meeting? What is the time limit that we need to have the meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

12:03:08PM He doesn't know.

Naya Young

12:03:11PM Thank you. Members of the CRA. I was watching so i'm coming down. First, I expect -- Scott Steady, city attorney. I was listening to the conversation and I was talking to cliff earlier, council. Number one, I expect to be sending you right after lunch a draft memorandum of understanding to be considered by City Council and CRA. So soon after lunch I expect to be sending you that, which would be then hopefully considered on the 21st for City Council. County commission is expected to vote on the 20th, the day before. Obviously depending on what they do will depend on, they need to pass it really in order for it to be considered by City Council. 21st, we have a City Council meeting. Talking to cliff, i'm frankly new to the CRA so I was scrambling while you were talking to look for notice. I'm told seven days. I know to meet the schedule that we're on, as soon after the 21st that the CRA can discuss this. I was just thinking out loud -- I was thinking earlier, is There Any Way we could continue this meeting, cliff, to the 21st, so it's concurrent, so we don't have to notice it.

Cliff Shepard

12:04:34PM I can hear fine. I don't know if you all can hear me.

Naya Young

12:04:38PM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

12:04:40PM As far as logistically, that suggestion is brilliant. So we don't actually gavel out. We just continue this meeting to the 21st. It doesn't seem, if we're doing it concurrently with council, there's not going to be -- other than a technical vote, since we're the same seven people, the CRA vote would just be a technical vote and wouldn't take any additional time is my guess on this. I think that is a really good idea. Continue this meeting, not gavel out, continue the meeting to the 21st and be done.

Naya Young

12:05:13PM Board member Miranda and then board member Hurtak.

Charlie Miranda

12:05:15PM I just feel that in my opinion, in the eyes of the public, if we continue a meeting without having notified of a meeting, it's not the right thing to do. We've never done that, that I know of in my whole 32 years here. What am I doing? Who am I trying to satisfy? What is the reason for it? What is the rush? There are so many questions in my mind. Do we know who we're dealing with? How much money? What is the project? Memorandum of understanding doesn't tell you anything about them. Just what they want, not what the facts are. I'm not trying to badger you in Any Way or Different Way at all. Who are they? What money do they have? How they finance? Where they come from? We know what they have but we don't know a damn thing they have. We know nothing. The 21st for City Council and clearly we'll have a substantive discussion, very much a substantive discussion. I'm not suggesting you as the CRA, cliff has been very much involved, by the way. He's made significant comments. Just so you know, your attorney has been very involved and right up till yesterday. Again, i'm not trying to rush the process. I was just trying to be efficient. I know CRA is different, but CRA is still the City Council sitting as the CRA. I understand the notice for the CRA, but really, again, it's up to CRA. I think as long as we have a meeting soon after the 21st, i'm sure that will be fine. We just can't put it off too far.

Lynn Hurtak

12:07:02PM First of all, May 21st is absolutely jam-packed. I do not know where you are going to fit this in, if you want a substantive discussion. Just going to say that first. Second, I think at this point you would have to add a night meeting. This is a chock-full meeting. It's going to be really long. In fact, I think we even said we weren't going to add any more staff reports because it's so long already. That's one. Two, CRA is wildly different. The conversations we're going to have than we are as a City Council, so I believe they should be two separate discussions. And I do agree with board member Miranda. This is not something -- regardless of what happens, I do not want the constituents to come back to us and say we didn't know about this meeting because it was continued. We didn't get proper notification and that is my real concern and worry. I'll just put it there. I will not vote for a continuance of this meeting.

Scott Steady

12:08:08PM By the way, I fully appreciate. Just offering that as an alternative. I'm not pushing that at all.

Naya Young

12:08:13PM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

12:08:14PM There is that which is legally sufficient and there is that which is equitable for our constituents. I can understand that distinction. Let me ask you, if we were to take action as the CRA if the county passes it, if the city passes, there are a lot of hoops to go through, right? Would ten days afterwards in Any Which Way fatally undermine --

Scott Steady

12:08:50PM I'm going from what I understand the issue is right now, the rays are looking for obviously the state and the legislature to vote on some issues regarding the campus. That's the time frame. The reality, again -- I mean, I understand you're not ready to vote on it. If you at least want to consider it and for it to happen, it needs to be done soon after the 21st to make the commitment, which I understand the legislature is saying unless the city and county are looking like they are moving forward, which again i'll back up and say this is a nonbinding memorandum of understanding. It is certainly important. We certainly need to go through the issues. We certainly need to talk about the funding, but it is part of the process. And it would not be binding. But it will indicate to move forward with a significant amount of effort that needs to happen. But my understanding, to make this viable, we need to do it sooner -- i'm just giving you the information -- that it needs to be soon after the 21st.

Luis Viera

12:10:01PM Two things, Mr. Steady. Number one, I wanted to acknowledge as an attorney just the hard work that you and your staff have been putting in on this issue, regardless of how one feels about this, just as an attorney, you guys are fitting a size 46 waist into 38 pants timewise. Lawyer to lawyer, God bless you for that. I wasn't going to bring up the issue of tallahassee, which is they are obviously, there are funds waiting to go through a process. I read something in the paper and some remarks the governor made, and that is something that we should be cognizant of but not something that should pressure us, if that makes sense, which is we should be aware of the sentiments of folks in tallahassee who are potentially giving a lot of money for this should it pass. But I don't think it should pressure us to rush it in a way that would undermine our duties to our constituents. It is a careful balance that we're suddenly taking up in the last five minutes of CRA, which is interesting.

Scott Steady

12:11:04PM Again, I want to make it clear, i'm giving you information. I appreciate -- I work for you. I understand your concern. I'm just trying to work as quickly and efficiently as I can.

Naya Young

12:11:16PM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

12:11:17PM I'D like to make a motion to add a CRA meeting to May 21st at 3 p.m. As a placeholder. We may not use it. Maybe we won't be ready, but at least we have it as a placeholder just in case. We'll see what comes forward, they'll forward the documents this afternoon. See what they look like and as far as anticipating time frames and whatnot. I think for bookkeeping. Again, very sensitive to what you guys said about public notification and making sure people understood the meeting is being had. Wise thing to do, make the notification, CRA meeting, May 21st, 3 p.m.

Lynn Hurtak

12:11:58PM We have a public hearing at 1:30. I don't think 3 p.m. Is going to be enough time. If we would do anything, I think it should be a 5 p.m. Meeting.

Naya Young

12:12:10PM I'm not available.

Alan Clendenin

12:12:16PM We could publish it at 3.

Lynn Hurtak

12:12:20PM It's clear people are not going to be here at 5. 3 is going to be pushing it to finish an actual agenda. I'm sorry. I'm going to say that emergency on someone else's part does not mandate an emergency on our part. There is a really great saying that says that, I can never remember what it is. But, yeah, if people aren't available, 3:00 is fine but I don't know that we'll be able to fit it in.

Alan Clendenin

12:12:50PM As a place holder.

Naya Young

12:12:57PM Two things. One, the purpose of this meeting would be specifically to talk about the MOU.

Scott Steady

12:13:07PM Yes.

Naya Young

12:13:08PM Between --

Scott Steady

12:13:11PM The MOU is between the rays' organization, Hillsborough County, the City Of Tampa, and the City Of Tampa CRA. Those four parties.

Naya Young

12:13:20PM Okay.

Scott Steady

12:13:26PM While you're doing that I am wearing a Black suit today, but that doesn't necessarily -- [ laughter ]

Charlie Miranda

12:13:37PM You want to join me, welcome next week.

Scott Steady

12:13:40PM I realized, I was a little concerned that it may reflect --

Alan Clendenin

12:13:44PM Point of order. I do the jokes on this board.

Charlie Miranda

12:13:54PM This is something, two days, one year, this is for a long time. Whatever happens, I want the Public to vote on this. I want the election to be held by the Public who is going to pay for it. That's the people in Hillsborough County and the people in the City Of Tampa. If you really want democracy, let them vote. They are the ones paying for it. I want no part of this. The Public should have a vote on what we do with their money. And this is a point to do it in. We have never given them that opportunity. By the way, what is public facilities? Now that we're here.

Alan Clendenin

12:14:36PM Point of order, we're just talking about adding a meeting.

Charlie Miranda

12:14:39PM You might be point of order but i'm telling you the point of the truth.

Naya Young

12:14:45PM This is not me. This is not a for, against or whatever. I'm very much a processes person. I like to have the heads-up. I like to have information about what's going on. So like, you know, to have, like we're getting into the crux of this conversation at the end of this meeting. Pop up. Oh, wait, now we have to do this thing. For me I don't like that. I like to be able to know like ahead of time what's going on. This is just going forward. I've seen that happen. I'm just going to say for the 21st, i'm not available. I have three commitments that i've made months in advance. I don't think if the meeting will start at 3, get out at 5. That never happens.

Alan Clendenin

12:15:44PM Remember, this is just the CRA. We'll already have had the conversation during council. I can't imagine it's anything more than a check the box. The CRA meeting is going to be just a check the box.

Naya Young

12:15:57PM Anytime we have -- nothing is ever check the box with this council from what i've seen just being here.

Alan Clendenin

12:16:05PM We're not going to have the same conversation twice.

Naya Young

12:16:12PM In terms of having -- let me say what I want to say first. In terms of having a placeholder, you know, and, you know, the efficient notice, having a place holder for the 21st, for the clerk is that efficient, is it okay to do that?

The Clerk

12:16:31PM [Inaudible]

Naya Young

12:16:34PM It would be a special call CRA meeting. For the 21st. Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

12:16:42PM Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much. My big challenge with that is on the 21st, I have a family obligation that -- but i'm going to suggest May 26. I have something that day on my Legal Practice that I may be able to move. I would do that for this, to find a way forward on this. If May 26 would work for folks.

Guido Maniscalco

12:17:10PM What time?

Luis Viera

12:17:11PM You name it. I'll try to make something happen.

Lynn Hurtak

12:17:17PM I will be out of town.

Alan Clendenin

12:17:19PM I'm available the 26.

Naya Young

12:17:23PM It would have to be at 5 in the evening.

Luis Viera

12:17:29PM Councilwoman Hurtak, we want her there, obviously. If I may, the 27th in the morning I can make myself available. I have a root canal that morning, which I'D love to move. It's a true story. It's part 2. I'm not looking forward to it.

Naya Young

12:17:53PM I can do the 27th.

Lynn Hurtak

12:17:55PM I have a state-mandated training for Ahac. That we cannot -- if Electeds miss that, we can lose our funding.

Luis Viera

12:18:12PM How about the 29th, i'm available in the day as well. I can make myself available the 29th.

Naya Young

12:18:25PM At what time? I have graduation, Middleton High School graduation. 8 to 9:30.

Alan Clendenin

12:18:38PM 3 p.m. On the 21st as a place holder. We can always go back, if this doesn't work at 3 p.m., Always schedule it and discuss it at that point. 3 p.m. On the 21st at 3 p.m. If that doesn't work, we can always come back and schedule a meeting on that day on the 21st. But that holds us a place as active CRA meeting.

Luis Viera

12:19:05PM Board member Carlson is not here. We want a full council, I would assume for this. But I would say the 29th, I can make that happen. This is obviously very important. We want to have sufficient time to digest everything. We don't even know if the county commission, are they really going to see it the day before?

12:19:31PM We're relying on something --

Alan Clendenin

12:19:38PM Point of order, information, whatever it would be. Again, the information -- the substantive issue will be placed on council's calendar on the City Council meeting on the 21st. We're only talking about the CRA component of this. That's why I think let's call a special call meeting at 3:00 on Thursday, the 21st. At least that gives us a moment to gavel in. If we need to schedule for the 29th at least we have a moment. Right now we don't have another CRA meeting until June. That gives us -- if we have to make another decision, we have a moment to make the decision.

Luis Viera

12:20:15PM Can we do both?

Naya Young

12:20:20PM Let'S Do The Place holder for the 21st at 3. I'm leaving at 5.

Lynn Hurtak

12:20:45PM Do we want to do it earlier in the morning?

Alan Clendenin

12:20:47PM Heck, 10 a.m. What i'm saying, we gavel out of council, gavel in as CRA, gavel out back to council. We have a 10:30 public text amendments. Knowing this is coming, I would urge everybody to look at their agenda items on the 21st and maybe see if tonight you can come back and maybe we could defer some of the presentations and some of the issues on the 21st. If people are willing to do that, maybe we could do a 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. On the 21st. I make a motion to schedule a special CRA -- special call meeting on May 21st at 11 a.m. You and I will change seats.

Naya Young

12:22:01PM I guess.

Alan Clendenin

12:22:03PM 10 a.m. Is there a second? I'm sorry. 11 a.m.

Guido Maniscalco

12:22:09PM I'll second it.

Naya Young

12:22:10PM We have a motion from board member Clendenin, second from board member Maniscalco.

Alan Clendenin

12:22:29PM 10:30. We should be done by then.

Naya Young

12:22:33PM Gavel out of council and gavel into CRA. Roll call vote? All those in favor? Any opposed?

Lynn Hurtak

12:22:50PM Nay.

The Clerk

12:22:56PM [Inaudible]

Guido Maniscalco

12:23:02PM CRA special call hold.

Alan Clendenin

12:23:08PM Notification of meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

12:23:10PM 4-2 vote.

The Clerk

12:23:20PM Hurtak and Miranda voting no? Motion passes with Hurtak and Miranda voting no and Carlson being absent.

Luis Viera

12:23:29PM I wanted to explain my vote because it's very important to me, which is this is a Very Imperfect Place holder. I would encourage us to find that date on the 29th I believe it was on a Friday. I think that is a date that makes much more sense. I only voted for this so we could get something down. But my heart and my brain and everything is with the 29th. This is a safety net, that's all.

Naya Young

12:23:58PM I agree. Just to again have more time. I don't like being railroaded with information.

Lynn Hurtak

12:24:09PM It's my turn for new business.

Naya Young

12:24:12PM Were you finished? Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

12:24:17PM Thank you. First of all, I do believe this council, or that this board needs to discuss -- I wouldn't go anywhere quite yet, Mr. Steady. First of all, we need to have a conversation about housing in the CRAs and what that does look like going forward. We have a budget meeting I heard from Mr. Mccray in July. But when looking at the June CRA meeting, I only -- I see one, two, three, four items on that agenda. So I would like to -- this doesn't necessarily need -- what I would like to do is make a motion to have a CRA housing conversation that includes the funding that we currently have in each CRA for housing, how it's allocated, what the future funding looks like. So basically just all money. Ms. Parks, if you have a question about that, i'm pretty sure you know what i'm asking for, but if you have questions, you can come to me and talk about it before the meeting. It's really a conversation for the board to have. I don't believe there really needs to be too much work other than the factual information of the numbers. Behind it.

Naya Young

12:25:40PM We have a motion from board member Hurtak. A second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Lynn Hurtak

12:25:48PM The June 11 meeting. So That Way, we don't have to have anything in onbase other than the financial chart. Secondarily, we opened a can of worms, I know this is an MOU conversation but it's not an MOU conversation when it comes to the CRA, with the CRA conversation, it is all about money and bonding and the fact that we've never bonded in the CRA in ITs entire history. I'm interested in the history of bonding. Mr. Shepard, i'm going to want to know from legally how we bond in a CRA. I want to know how that money is going to be paid because it doesn't make any sense to me if we're going to give -- i'm just going to make a round number -- $50 million how we're going to pay for that because this CRA is one of the lowest CRAs. Makes $3 million a year. We cannot anticipate getting any actual money from the CRA, so how does that even work? I'D like Mr. Shepard maybe to talk about that. This is for the 21st meeting. This is for the 21st. My motion is to understand the obligation -- again, I can speak to Mr. Shepard about this and Mr. Steady and Mr. Rogero. I'm so sorry, her name escapes me. The wonderful woman who does the budgets for the CRA, Ms. Gobble, to talk about the actual feasibility of paying that off when we don't have any money coming into the CRA. That is my motion.

Naya Young

12:27:44PM We have a motion from --

Lynn Hurtak

12:27:47PM To be on the 21st as part of the CRA conversation.

Naya Young

12:27:51PM From board member Hurtak, second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Lynn Hurtak

12:27:59PM That is where i'll stop for now.

Scott Steady

12:28:02PM Just briefly, I probably should stop talking. But we've had extensive discussions about that. It will be addressed in the moa -- MOU. Thank you.

Lynn Hurtak

12:28:17PM My questions might be answered.

Scott Steady

12:28:19PM Please call me and cliff. Hopefully you'll see this draft. Please call me with any questions you have. I've been working on it all the time. Happy to answer your questions.

Lynn Hurtak

12:28:32PM Ms. Scharf if you are not in the audience and I can't see you, if you could come up, I would appreciate it.

Naya Young

12:28:37PM Board member Maniscalco?

Guido Maniscalco

12:28:39PM Did we vote on the last motion.

Naya Young

12:28:41PM Yes.

Guido Maniscalco

12:28:43PM I'm glad these questions are being asked. I look forward to seeing the MOU, all the acronyms and everything that has been used. I have a lot of questions. I'm glad council member Hurtak asked about that regarding bonding, the CRA, has it been done, where does the money come from? What about the sunsetting of the CRA happens? This is very complicated. I don't like having something to my head with hard, fast, and rushed. Again, i'm glad that something is coming out because the information that I received is from news headlines. What I read in the news. Not behind-the-scenes negotiations. I'm wondering to myself, how do we pay for this? How do we do this? Is it feasible? Does it make sense? Who is on the hook for the interest? There are so many things. Hope the MOU answers so many of my questions because i've been in the dark much of this time. What I read in the media is what I see. That's as much as I know. That's it. We Have This Place holder for next week. We go from there. No other new business.

Naya Young

12:29:48PM Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

12:29:49PM Just sitting here listening, they want to know everything we've got, we don't know anything what they have. Who are the Stockholders. How much money do they have? Are they financially stable to maintain what they have? I don't know that. We're talking about making a deal? What kind of a deal? On the hook for something. We don't have the information at all. None. We don't even know why the buyer who was a seller bought 10% back unless there was no money and they needed that to close the deal. 1.7 Billion -- that means if he took 10% interest, he had to give up 170 million, which true or not, I don't know. I don't know anything. I don't think anyone does. So we're dealing with something that is physically but invisible. That's impossible.

Scott Steady

12:30:43PM Understood.

Naya Young

12:30:44PM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

12:30:45PM I want to reset this conversation and for the public listening to this as well and to the press. This is going through a process. As our city attorney just described, along with our CRA attorney, we have some incredible staff. I mean, I am -- maybe i'm the one that's messed up here. Because in my mind, we are the ultimate decision makers, but we rely between our meetings, we have full-time staff that works 40, 60, 80 hours a week behind the scenes doing these things. Dennis Rogero, John Bennett, Scott Steady, Cliff Shepard and countless other folks that work with the city on our behalf have been diligently in these conversations. Making statements or assumptions that I don't know yet because that has been happening behind the scenes as scheduled and as appropriate. These issues are brought before us when they are ripe to be brought before us. Otherwise we would be discussing an incomplete memo or incomplete memorandum of understanding. Until that memorandum of understanding is complete, anything is subject to change. They are now going to present us a final document. As i've said from day one, once that final document is presented and I see how the is are dotted and ts crossed, I will make my decision, based on one out of seven votes or not. Until then, everything else is just pontification. Political bull SH -- unless this document gets in front of us, nothing else has to be said. We have good staff working on it. Should trust our staff, trust the subject matter experts. God damn it i'm not qualified to sit down and talk about the amount of money and the bonding and stuff, when they come before us, they'll tell us these things. I'll listen to what they have to say and then judge it based on that. Thank you.

Naya Young

12:32:48PM Board Member Miranda had his mike on. Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

12:32:58PM If that was the case when I asked to postpone the public meeting, you should have done it. You said, oh, but we'll have to talk about it. We'll have something to talk about. That was a waste of time. It was a waste of time. I mean we had nothing to talk about. We learned nothing. I asked questions that I got no answers to because they would be in the MOU. You're saying two separately different things. I just wanted to make sure that I called you out on that because that is not at all what you have said.

Alan Clendenin

12:33:40PM Can I respond? She addressed it directly to me.

Charlie Miranda

12:33:44PM I want to make a statement for all of us. Recognition is part of the cure.

Alan Clendenin

12:33:50PM Councilwoman Hurtak, your point is well taken except, though, there was a lot of things out in the atmosphere, and it was an opportunity -- I felt that workshop was an opportunity for both the Rays Organization, the City Staff and the public to come out and have their say, voice what was happening. Honestly, I also think that was good information for the subject matter experts, the staff, and the Rays Organization to hear from people about as they were crafting that information, to be able to have that information. I think that was -- because they didn't need to just hear from us. They needed to hear from the public what their concerns were. So I think that was a good moment in time and why I thought it was worthwhile. I don't necessarily disagree with you on the subject matter, because the point taken but I think overall it wasn't wasted time. It was an opportunity for people to share their opinions.

Naya Young

12:34:44PM Board Member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

12:34:46PM Yeah, maybe waste of time was too strong of a phrase, but it really shouldn't give us any new information. Just no new information at least for me because i've actually been meeting with City Staff and regularly to find out that information. I've taken that upon myself. I have one more motion. My motion is that I want to hear from the Drew Park CRA or CAC on the 21st as well.

Charlie Miranda

12:35:16PM Second.

Naya Young

12:35:17PM We have a motion from board member Hurtak and a second from board member Maniscalco.

Lynn Hurtak

12:35:24PM The reason is because during that public meeting, the Chair got up and said that no one from the Rays Organization had reached out to the CAC at all. I want to make sure and if they don't have time to have a quorum, that's totally cool. All of them can come and speak because that to me is incredibly important. I really want to hear from them and i'm flabbergasted that no one reached out because that was the number one thing I asked from the Rays Organization when I met with them. I met with them twice. I asked twice. They said they were on it. Clearly they were not. Thank you.

Naya Young

12:36:01PM We have a motion from board member Hurtak. A second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Scott Steady

12:36:11PM Can I make one final comment?

Naya Young

12:36:13PM Yes, and then board member Miranda.

Scott Steady

12:36:18PM I want to make it clear this is important. The memorandum of understanding is important. It should outline a lot of facts, a lot of detail, but it is nonbinding and you retain your discretion to approve anything further. I'm not suggesting this isn't an important document -- it is. It is saying basically we have a general understanding to move forward and do a lot more work, but at the same time, we made -- pushed back that it's nonbinding and you have complete discretion as we move forward. Again, it's important. I don't want to minimize it at all, but we wanted to make sure because we could have spent months more trying to resolve all the issues and we just couldn't. The memorandum of understanding does outline what's the commitment. I'll also tell you, I made sure cliff was involved a couple of weeks ago, and I can assure you he has absolutely added a lot of language to make any commitment that you may have conditional on other hearings and in your discretion. Cliff has done a good job of protecting the CRA in this memorandum of understanding. Look forward to working with you.

Naya Young

12:37:41PM Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

12:37:43PM Correct me if i'm wrong, we've already had one memorandum of understanding given to us week, two, ten days ago.

Scott Steady

12:37:52PM You saw drafts.

Charlie Miranda

12:37:57PM This is a draft on the draft.

Scott Steady

12:37:58PM This is considered the final draft.

Charlie Miranda

12:38:02PM Most likely a third or fourth one.

Scott Steady

12:38:04PM Right now, this is intended to be the draft that the City Council and the CRA executes.

Charlie Miranda

12:38:10PM The first one is a draft which is different from this one.

Scott Steady

12:38:13PM The draft had similarities. It's not the same but it's similar. This is further discussions, further discussions. But it's intended to be final.

Alan Clendenin

12:38:27PM Motion to receive and final.

Naya Young

12:38:28PM We're not done yet. Board member Hurtak and then board member Viera.

Lynn Hurtak

12:38:31PM All I wanted to say was the only reason i'm asking for these conversations to come forward because we don't know what's in the MOU. If we don't ask for it now, we can't because we're sitting as CRA Board. I do appreciate that we'll know more things. That is the reason I made the motions I did. If it turns out not to be relevant, turns out not to be relevant. I'D rather to have made the motions now when we are legally able to. Thank you.

Charlie Miranda

12:39:00PM One more and i'll quit. I was in Drew Park about three days ago. I happened to stop by. Who did I meet with, the lady -- I went over all the information that's needed for what they wanted to do in the CRA. And this morning, as I walked in, I saw Mr. Nu Ez and pulled him over is that a fact or not? We discussed the same three or four things that the CRA needed and it's already funded, am I correct? And now those things Are In Place to be brought forward and completed. Am I correct? So what money do they have left for this year or next year? None. Am I correct? So what are we talking about? Those projects there are funded. All we have to do is continue with the operation. They are already funded. I'm not trying to be on one side or the other. I'm telling you the facts of what happened by accident, really.

Naya Young

12:40:15PM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

12:40:16PM To close it out --

Naya Young

12:40:21PM Board Member Young, do you have any new business? Well, I did. I will just say that graduations are coming up. We have a lot of seniors and college students. My Alma Mater had their graduation. Just for all of the graduates, congratulations. Congratulations. [ applause ] i'm looking forward to attending some of the graduations and this is a huge milestone and if you know one thing I always talk about is the importance of our youth and not just our elementary and middle but our high school, our graduates, you know, just out of high school, just out of college, you know, we are trying to do our best so that you can have, you know, can be proud of the city and the state that you live in and continue to persevere and continue to be courageous and continue to speak up and continue to fight the good fight. That is what I will leave with for today. Board Member Viera.

Luis Viera

12:41:30PM Thank you, madam chair so we stop talking about controversial subjects, I want to talk about Cuba, Israel -- i'm joking. If I may bring Darsh up. A lot of you know my intern. Darsh has recently been hired to work in the clerk's office. We look forward to continuing to see you, Darsh, in public service here. You are a wonderful person. I took Darsh and greg out three days to go to Panera Bread and we sat in the very booth where I studied the day before I took the Florida bar 23 years ago, which is funny. Darsh, just wanted to publicly salute you. You are a wonderful person. God bless you.

Naya Young

12:42:19PM Thank you. I have a motion from board member Maniscalco, and a second from board member Miranda, all in favor? Aye.

Lynn Hurtak

12:42:28PM Congratulations. You did a great job.

Naya Young

12:42:30PM Thank you. We are adjourned. [ sounding gavel ] disclaimer: this file represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Any person who needs a verbatim transcript of the proceedings may need to hire a Court Reporter. ▶ meeting video Community Redevelopment Agency - 05/14/26published: May 15, 2026▶ watch on youtube the information contained in these pages represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Persons requiring a verbatim transcript may need to hire a Court Reporter. © - City Of Tampa (813) 274-8211

CRA — May 14, 2026 FINAL

Chapters